Family Tree Series
by Lucinda
Summary: An assignment to research her family tree locates an unexpected relative for Willow. Crossover with X-Men the movie.  FT14: Changing the Odds now completed.
1. FT1: Family Tree

author: Lucinda

rating: pg/pg13

Main character: Willow Rosenberg, no pairing

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or the X-Men.

Notes: season 1 BtVS, slightly different.

Willow had started her notes already. She had her parents' names, along with the location and dates of their birth. She had the names of her mother's parents and two siblings, and her mother had suggested that she call her aunt Diane to ask her some questions, 'due to her interest in what everyone in the family is doing and has ever done before'. She had started with a mostly blank paper with a few names on it. She was prepared with a list of suggested questions and her aunt's phone number. Approaching the phone, Willow took a deep breath, and reminded herself 'First, it's thirty percent of my grade this quarter. Second, Aunt Diane lives in San Diego, she can't hurt me over the phone. She's family, there is no danger...'

'Hello, can I talk to Diane Meyer please?" Willow almost managed a steady voice when she called. She was so nervous talking to people. She really had to work on that.

Four hours later, she managed to convince her aunt Diane that she really did have to get to bed, as this was a school night. She had pages and pages of things about her mother's side of the family... names, birth-dates and locations - sometimes accompanied by 'there was an interesting story to that, really...'. She had the educational and romantic history of all her cousins from her mom's side. She had learned that her uncle David had been killed ten years ago by 'a disgruntled gang member'. Willow found herself hoping that it had actually been a gang member and not a vampire.

She had a cousin who had recently joined a law firm. She had another who was an accountant for an actor, and one of Diane's daughters was now in college planning to be a psychologist, while the other was simply dating some mechanic, to Diane's dismay. She now knew exactly how her mother's parents had died, more medical details than she had ever wanted to know about dying from cancer, and exactly where they had been buried and how the funeral services had gone.

Her head was spinning from all the information. Fortunately, she had taken notes, lots and lots of notes. Willow suspected that Aunt Diane might have an interest in genealogy too; she certainly had all the information for it. Diane had also mentioned that there was a website with 'her family tree, and her husband's also, although his mother did most of that one and it goes back to the seventeen hundreds...' Willow had dutifully noted the web address. Her ear was overheated and numb.

Trembling slightly with exhaustion, Willow changed into her nightgown. Willow was very grateful to just fall into bed and go to sleep. Staying up until midnight listening to somebody on the phone was exhausting. Her last waking thought was that at least she would have some information beyond names and dates for her mother's side of the family.

Willow slipped into her bedroom and flopped onto her bed. She wasn't looking forward to her history project. Actually, she was fairly certain the whole project was part of a plot on behalf of Mrs. Cullen. Her history teacher had a passion for genealogy, the study of family trees. She had assigned all her students to trace their family trees, and submit a report on them as the major project for the grading period. There had even been an informative handout on where to look for the information and what she wanted them to have in it. Allegedly, it was to help them study the melting pot effect of America on immigrants.

Willow fully expected nothing pleasantly surprising from this paper. She knew that her great grandfather had emigrated from Germany, along with his wife and three of his children, one of which had grown up to be her grandfather. She wasn't certain of all the details behind it because her mother had always shood her away when her Opa Rosenberg had tried to talk about it at family reunions. Something about she was too little to hear about things like that.

Maybe she would have to talk to him about it when she made her weekly visit to him in the nursing home. He lived at Rustling Pines Care Facility now, as his health wasn't good enough to allow him to live alone. He could barely walk, even with his cane, and had lost most of his sight, and some of his hearing. He was the only member of Willow's family that was willing to let her be Willow, not a statistic.

By the time Thursday rolled around, Willow had come to the conclusion that she could write this report. She could write about where her family had come from, and explain about their Jewish heritage. She was anticipating some unhappy events around World War 2, but unfortunately, that wasn't a surprise.

Willow rode her bicycle over to Rustling Pines, where her great grandfather now lived. He was very old now, and his health was gradually failing. His mind was as clear as it had ever been. Willow also knew that she was the only relative that visited him regularly. He saw some of the other relatives on the holidays, and some of the older men from the temple visited him, but Willow still thought it must be rather lonely for him. That was one of the reasons she visited him every Thursday.

" Hello Willow. Oris is sitting outside, by the oak tree. Please tell him he should have somebody help him inside at dinner time, okay?" Eileen was the receptionist and secretary for this shift. She knew Willow by name, as did the rest of the staff. Eileen also had the habit of referring to all the residents by their names, which made some of the residents happy.

Willow smiled at Eileen and gave a little wave. The door to the little courtyard with the oak tree was a bit down the hall, and she turned, and went to see her Opa Rosenberg.

Oris Rosenberg was sitting on a slightly worn stone bench in the shade of an enormous oak tree. He wasn't a tall man, only a bit taller than Willow if he was standing up strait. His hair was thinning and white, and had receded a bit along his temples. He had round wire rim glasses, and the lenses were very thick in an effort to keep what he could of his fading sight. He had been a slender man in his youth, and was now frail. A cane rested on the bench beside him.

He was delighted to see Willow, as always. They talked a bit about how their weeks had gone, and Willow learned that he suspected Charlie, one of the other residents was cheating at the Friday poker games. Willow mentioned that Xander was still clueless that she liked him, and about her assigned project to make a family tree and report.

He had chuckled, and said that Sarah Cullen was one of the nosey women who belonged to the county genealogy society, and they occasionally came around asking some of the residents about their ancestors 'because your memories of them are irreplaceable.' He thought Willow's suspicion about trying to get her student's hooked on genealogy was very reasonable, and probably wouldn't have much success. He had also promised that he would talk about his relatives after dinner - the ones your mother hasn't got a little notebook on. He found it somewhat amusing that Sheila kept trying to analyze her relatives and put them into statistical categories.

Willow was quite glad that she had brought some food with her. Dinner as served at Rustling Pines looked bland. It was probably very easy on the digestion, and carefully planned to avoid allergies or reactions with medication in any of the residents. It looked about as appetizing as the food at her school cafeteria. She had also brought some fresh fruit in for her great grandfather. Willow had cleared it with his doctor, so she knew that it would be okay for him.

He started with telling Willow about his grandfather, who had been a furniture maker in Germany. It had been the family business. He told her the family stories about how his parents had met, and eventually gotten married and started their own family. He told her how he had met his wife - the most temperamental and argumentative girl he'd ever met. The one young lady in town he couldn't stay calm and polite when talking to. He had eventually realized how they felt about each other, and surrendered. They had been married that fall. What Willow found interesting was that he had pictures of all the relatives he was talking about.

They were sitting there, looking at the pictures in the heavy leather bound photo album. Willow turned the page, and saw a picture of her great grandfather and his wife, along with three small children. A later family photo showed four children. Willow was thoughtful. She knew her great grandpa and his wife had come to America with three children.

"Opa, who is that?" she pointed at the oldest child, a girl with dark mostly straight hair and serious eyes.

He looked thoughtful, and a bit sad. He turned the page again, and there was a picture of the girl, now grown up to maybe twenty, a man slightly older beside her, and a small boy. " That was my daughter Rachel. This is her and her husband Frederick Lenscherr and their son Eric. They had quarreled with my Greta, your great grandmother, and moved away. I had tried to convince them to reconcile, but they were both very stubborn women."

"I had heard rumors about changes in policy in my old country. I worried a great deal about what they could lead to, and that is why Greta and I packed up what we could and came to America. I wish that Rachel and Frederick had done so as well. I later learned that their family had been sent to one of the camps. Rachel and her husband were killed there. I never learned what happened to Erik. He was just a little boy then..." Her Opa's voice faded into sorrowful reflection.

Now Willow felt guilty for bringing up her Opa's past. She hadn't meant to make him sad. She tried to help him feel a bit better by talking about what had been going on at the temple. He was feeling somewhat better when Willow eventually left to go home.

As Willow rode her bicycle home, she wondered. What had happened to little Eric Lenscherr?

Willow had finished her report, including a diagram of her direct ancestry and attached diagrams for cousins, a listing of places of burial for her deceased relatives, and some copies of photographs of her assorted relatives. There were descriptions of little family traditions that were Jewish, as well as things that were German, and newer things from after her family had moved to America. She had gotten an A.

Willow figured she could relax now, and only worry about things demonic and life threatening needing researched with Mr. Giles. She could listen to Buffy talk about this mysterious guy named Angel, and listen to Xander talk about how could he get Buffy. That was annoying, but slightly better than say, Cordelia or Harmony. Having concluded that there was no life threatening demon menace, or romantic changes in the lives of Xander or her new friend Buffy, Willow at down to do her geometry homework. To have some background noise, as her parents had gone on some sort of couples retreat for the week, she turned the television on to C-Span.

She was hoping that whatever was on didn't feature that Senator Robert Kelly. He seemed to base his entire campaigning on anti mutant speeches. Willow did have to admit that sometimes mutants did scary things, but.... weren't mutants still people? Weren't they still American citizens? Therefore, they should be able to go to school, get jobs and pay taxes. Like everyone else, shouldn't mutants be able to try to live a happy life? Although, she did suppose that mutants should take responsibility for their actions. Being a mutant didn't make it okay to burn down someone's store, but it didn't make it okay for someone else to burn down your house.

Looking at the screen, Willow saw that it was live coverage of the United Nations special conference to discuss the mutant question. It was being held at the base of the Statue of Liberty. hmmmm Willow thought. This might be interesting. I wonder how other countries are reacting to mutants. It is a matter of genetic mutation, so it should be occurring worldwide... Maybe I'll be a doctor when I grow up, and study genetics.

The discussion was interesting. Willow had expected differing views of what to do about mutants from the different nations' representatives, and she wasn't disappointed. There were very heated debates on some suggestions. Willow observed that some countries didn't seem worried about the increasing numbers of mutants, having simply passed laws saying that mutants were responsible for the uses of their powers as if it had been the works of their hands. She noticed a trend: countries that were not highly dependant of manufacturing were more easily adapting their laws, if not the behavior of all their citizens. Countries with either large industrial bases or huge populations were moving very slowly to do something about the mutant issue. While Willow didn't agree with all the opinions spoken or shouted during the conference, it was interesting to watch. It stayed on long after her geometry was finished.

The conference was disrupted towards the end by a strange silvery light that came from the torch of the Statue of Liberty. It wavered, and rippled almost like water, but it was...something else. Nobody seemed to know what it was. Willow stayed up very late trying to find out what had happened at the conference.

Eventually, it was discovered that there had been a fight between two groups of mutants. Some security guards had been caught in the middle, and most of them had been found dead, the sole exception being found with stab wounds to the abdomen. Apparently, the leader of one group had planned to use a complicated device to do... something to the United Nations delegates, but he had been stopped by another group of mutants. The owner of the device had been identified as Magneto, and had been taken into custody. The identities of his opponents was not know at this time. Willow made the decision to watch for the trial of the mysterious Magneto. It should be.. interesting. She hoped C-Span would cover it.

When the case came to trial, it was indeed covered by C-Span, and many other stations as well. C-Span was the only one that showed the entirety of the trial instead of just little clips here and there. Magneto took the stand, bound in some sort of strange, plastic restraints. He looked different in normal clothing, old and almost fragile. The shirt he was wearing had long sleeves. He stated his name as Erik Magnus Lenscherr.

Willow watched as much of the trial as she could, and was very quiet during the whole proceedings. Xander never noticed. Jesse would have, but he had been killed by vampires recently. She had a lot to think about. At least she could tell her Opa Rosenberg what had happened to his grandson, little Erik.

As a brighter note, Senator Kelly made the public statement that he had changed his mind about his anti-mutant views, and had made an official apology to mutants everywhere for his previous views. Apparently, the events at the Statue of Liberty had shaken him a great deal. Willow was curious how America would react to the mutant question now.

End Family Tree.


	2. FT2: Telling Opa

author: Lucinda

Still no pairing, still PG

Disclaimer: I only own Rustling Pines, Eileen, & Opa Rosenberg

Distribution: keep my name on it, tell me where it goes

notes: season 1 Buffy, just after the X-Men movie

thanks to Domino Rose-Mystagic for beta reading this for me.

Willow had started watching the Trial of Magneto, as covered by C-Span. Her emotions were in turmoil, frightened, confused, glad to know her Opa's little Erik was alive, concerned by the fact that he was accused of trying to kill the United Nations delegates. The trial had been declared to be barred to the public, in the interest of safety, but was being broadcast on the grounds of extreme interest and legal precedent. There had never been a trial for mutant activity on this scale.

Personally, Willow suspected that he hadn't been planning to kill the delegates. She suspected that he'd made a much more complex plan, and that it had involved the now damaged device that he'd had in the torch of the Statue of Liberty. If he'd wanted them dead, he could have used a bomb, or had his minions attack the delegates, or maybe something with his mutant abilities. Willow could think of half a dozen more plausible kill the delegates scenarios, and she was only a high school sophomore. The charge of trying to kill the delegates was probably so that there would be a trial while they had people try to figure out what the device was supposed to do.

She decided to tell Opa as soon as she could. All she was waiting on was the fact that he'd had a couple medical tests done, and Willow wanted to tell him after the drugs wore off. His Doctor had wanted to run a scan on her Opa's brain, and a few tests on his liver and intestines. It bothered her to see him all muzzy headed. It also reminded her of just how old and fragile her Opa really was. He had outlived all four of his children, and lost his wife to a heart attack shortly before Willow had been born.

Saturday morning Willow pulled out her bicycle, slightly envious of those with cars and a driver's license, and pedaled her way over to Rustling Pines. She carefully parked her bike out of the parking area for cars, and off of the sidewalk so that nobody would trip on it. She went into the building and walked over to Eileen's desk.

"Morning Eileen. I wanted to come see my Opa today." Willow's greeting to Eileen lacked her usual cheer. She looked a bit subdued this morning.

" He's in his room. Is everything alright Willow? You seem a bit... unsettled today." Eileen worried a bit about Willow. She seemed like such a nice girl, and she came every week to visit her great grandfather. Willow was normally cheerful, and like a living beam of sunshine, but not today.

"Mmm. He had some tests done this week. You know I always worry about him when they give him tests." Willow tried to explain her concern that way. She didn't think trying to explain that her Opa's long lost grandson that he thought had died in an internment camp in World War 2 was actually Magneto would go over well. Besides, her Opa deserved to know first. Then, if he wanted to tell people, he could.

Willow went down the hallway to her Opa's room. The door was mostly shut. She knocked on he door. "Opa? Can I come in and visit you a bit?"

" Willow! You are always welcome to visit me. Come in." Her Opa's voice beckoned her inside. He sounded a bit quieter than normal, but not muzzy or shaky anymore. That must mean he was feeling better after those tests.

Willow walked in and sat in the chair. She had spent hours at home, carefully rehearsing her explanation, making a nice little speech. Her prepared speech had deserted her. Willow looked at her sneakers, noting absently that the left one was wearing thin, as she tried to figure out how to tell her news.

"Opa? I have something to tell you. The good news is that little Erik didn't die in Poland with his parents." Willow glanced up, worrying her lower lip a bit as she paused. Her Opa looked so happy.

" The bad news... He's Magneto. There was a disturbance at the United Nations Conference about the mutant issue, and he did something that made this silvery light, and he's on trial now. Apparently, he's a mutant, and they think he's very dangerous." Willow paused, hoping that her words wouldn't make her Opa so upset he had a heart attack or something. "For what it's worth, he looked fairly healthy as he was standing there swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

Her Opa was sitting on his bed, looking surprised and thoughtful. He didn't look like he was having any chest pains or other sudden medical emergencies, so Willow felt a tiny bit better. He was holding an old metal picture frame, with the family portrait of Rachel and Frederick, along with their little son Erik.

"He is Magneto? The one the reporters say tried to kill the delegates? My little grandson grew up to be..." Her Opa paused, very thoughtful and quiet. "Willow? You say he is a mutant. What will this mean for his chances of a fair trial? When I was younger, people persecuted the Jewish, and the black. Now, they persecute the mutants. What do you think is going to happen to my grandson?"

Willow was quiet for a few minutes, thinking about her Opa's questions. " I don't know, Opa. I know that lots of people are afraid because of what he did. Some of the reporters are saying he had some sort of a death ray in the Statue of Liberty. I think...the media wants to portray him as a terrible monster. I think enough people are afraid that it wouldn't be safe for the trial to be open to the public. As for what happens to him... that might depend on whether or not the people looking at his device can figure out what it was supposed to do. All they are certain of is that there was a silvery light from the device, and it's broken now. I think he's going to end up in a prison somewhere."

Her Opa looked very sad. " I will have to see if I can watch this trial. I shall hope that the jury tries to be fair. What do your parents think about this? Or about the mutants?"

"My parents don't know he's related yet. I know mother said she think anyone trying to disrupt the United Nations delegates with 'something like that' has serious emotional problems, and should probably be in therapy'. Mom says that about most mutants. All the ones the news covers are in fights, and there are lots of property damages, so Mom thinks mutants are all emotionally disturbed. Dad hasn't said much about mutants in general, and only said that the whole mess with the delegates was bad news." Willow was thoughtful.

She didn't know very much about her parents' views on mutation, and was a bit worried. Especially since if mutants were caused by genetic mutation, did that mean it ran in families? Were they likely to have some sort of mutant genes also? Were there some sort of dominant genetic complex that said you will be a mutant? Or maybe it was a latent gene, passing unnoticed among the population until someone ended up with two mutant genes. Could she be a mutant? Could her parents or friends be mutants?

Obviously, she wasn't a visible mutant with scales and horns or fur or anything like that... Would a mutant with a visible mutation be classed with demons in the watcher books? Were some of the nasty things out at night actually mutants instead of demons? Did it actually make them less dangerous if they were?

Willow and her Opa had many serious thoughts as they discussed the weather that afternoon. Neither of them wanted to bring up their more worried, troublesome thoughts, each figuring the other had enough troubles to think about. Instead, they talked about simple matters and ate oranges.

end Family Tree 2: Telling Opa.


	3. FT3: Birthday Cards

Author: Lucinda

rating: PG

still no pairing

disclaimer: I only own Rustling Pines & Opa Rosenberg

distribution: Keep my name with it & tell me where it goes.

thank you's to my beta for being of wonderful help Domino Rose-Mystagic

Willow had followed the Trial of Magneto closely. He had been found guilty of defacing a National Monument, conspiring to disrupt the U.N. conference, and some other assorted offences involving a train, a group of terrified police officers, along with the destruction of a pair of squad cars. There had been many other allegations, but those were the charges that had stuck. He had had three other mutants working with him who had not been captured, and their whereabouts were unknown. He was sentenced to imprisonment at a secret facility, with restrictions about visitors and care packages. He would be eligible for parole in ten years if he behaved.

The whole trial had been very publicized, and had added fuel to the already heated debate over mutants. Some pointed to Magneto as an example of why mutants were dangerous. Others argued that they were only afraid because here was a person who had the power to force people to listen to his views, and to stop people from hurting him. Still more people argued that he had expressed valid concerns over the future of mutants. The Mutant registration Bill had been voted down, not entirely surprising considering all the comparisons being made to Nazi Germany's Jewish registration.

She had managed to hack into a legal database and find out where he had been imprisoned, and gotten not only the address, but also blueprints of where they were keeping him. She had been shocked. He was practically in solitary confinement. He was kept in a plastic cube held in the middle of a large open area and accessible only by a retracting plastic tube. He was monitored constantly. There had been a note to keep all ferrous compounds away from him. The only visitors he'd had were a man named Charles Xavier and a court appointed psychologist. The psychologist had only visited once.

She had also found a file detailing the results of the limited testing that had been performed to try to determine the extent of his mutant abilities. He had been found to be in good health for a man of his age, with no physical diseases of defects, and no unexpected twists of physiology. He had a number tattooed on his arm, from the interment camp in Poland. Testing had determined that he had the ability to manipulate iron-based metals by manipulating the magnetic field around them. They had not tested him with anything over ten pounds, but he had previously lifted a pair of police cars. They had been terrified.

Willow had talked to her Opa about what she's found. Opa Rosenberg had told her she would probably get into trouble if she were found getting into those files. Willow had said that was the reason she didn't plan to get caught. They had both agreed that Erik was probably rather lonely in there. He couldn't even look out a window to see the outside world.

Then, they had realized that Erik's birthday was approaching. He would be all alone in prison for his birthday, with no friends, no family, and no cake. There really wasn't much they could do about that. Willow and her Opa had discussed that, and concluded that they couldn't afford to go try to visit Erik. They had decided to send him birthday cards instead. Opa chose one with a pretty ocean scene on the cover, and wrote a long message inside. Willow chose a card with some brightly colored wildflowers, and her message was shorter.

'I wanted to wish you a happy birthday because nobody should

feel alone and forgotten on their birthday. Besides, you are family, so it's kind

of my responsibility to make sure that somebody will always be there with

happy thoughts and a friendly smile. I hope you like the card, I tried to

find one that would make you happy. Willow Rosenberg'

After carefully addressing the cards, they had placed stamps with tropical fish on them in the upper corner. They had decided that the Statue of Liberty stamps might not be the best choice to use. They had gone together to place the cards into the blue drop box at the corner. Hopefully, he would like the cards.

end part 1.

Erik Lenscherr was sitting in his chair. He was bored, and also a bit lonely. Unfortunately, he was also currently residing in a federal prison, so there wasn't much he could do about being bored. So he sat in his plastic chair at a glass and plastic table, staring at a glass chess set in his plastic cube of living space. He was tired of being surrounded by glass and plastic.

Really, drop a pair of police cars and they decide they don't trust you with anything metal. Well, perhaps Sabertooth's killing all the security guards at the Statue of Liberty had influenced their thinking, but that hadn't actually been him. Perhaps the train car he'd peeled open. He'd wanted to get inside the car to take that girl with him. The door had been stuck. What else was he supposed to do?

Well, perhaps the entire plot to kidnap a girl with the ability to absorb the abilities of others in order use her to power a mutation inducing machine was a bit much. He'd wanted to make certain mutants weren't on the receiving end of another Holocaust. He'd lived through Germany's Holocaust against the Jews, and he wanted desperately to make certain nothing like that ever happened again. He had felt the sacrifice was worth it to prevent such a thing. Perhaps he should rethink his methods.

Erik was still sitting in his plastic chair pondering how to prevent a 'purging' of mutants from society when he heard the whine of motors that indicated the passage tube that connected his cube to the rest of the facility was being activated. Who on earth... Charles surely wouldn't have returned so soon, he was here not quite a month ago. When the tube had connected to his rooms, and all the attachments had finished, the door opened. One of the guards was standing there, somewhat awkwardly holding some papers in his hand.

The guard came into the room, nervously looking anywhere but at Erik. Now that he was closer, Erik could see that the guard was carrying what looked like two envelopes. One was a soft blue, like a spring sky before rain, the other, mostly underneath the blue one, was a bright, cheerful yellow.

"These came for you in the mail." The guard was nervous, and placed the envelopes on the glass table before turning and leaving Erik's cell at a rapid pace.

Erik was now very curious. He picked up the blue envelope first. The writing on it was in dark blue ink, in slightly shaky letters. It was clearly addressed to Erik Lenscherr care of The Terrance J. Dalton Federal Prison. The return address appeared to be a nursing home in California. Who could he possibly know in California? Carefully, he opened it. There was a card inside, with a picture of the sun setting over an ocean. Opening the card, he saw that the manufacturer had left it blank, and the same hand that had addressed the envelope had written a message inside.

'Erik- I know this card will come as a surprise to you. I

am your grandfather, and I only wish that I had known what had happened to

you before. I have spent many years not knowing what had happened to

you after my wife and I had left Germany to move to America. We had learned

that your parents died, but we had never been able to find any word on you. I

wish you hadn't had to spend these past years without family. There is

no denying that you have suffered terrible things. I want you to know

that as much as I am able, I will be here for you. I am an old man now,

and my health is not what it once was. I am relieved to know that you are

alive, and that you are well. I thank Willow for that knowledge. She is

my great granddaughter, and your cousin. She was the one who told be you

were alive, and on trial. I am glad to know that you are well. I wanted to

wish you a happy birthday. Know that I shall always be your loving Grandfather,

Oris Rosenberg'

Erik was nearly in tears by the end of the message. His grandfather was alive, and was glad to know he was alive. His grandparents had tried to find him. His grandfather had sent him a birthday card even though he was currently imprisoned and described as a mutant terrorist. He had family, family that apparently didn't care that he was a mutant.

He picked up the other envelope, the bright yellow one. It was also addressed with blue ink, and the writing was slightly loopy, the letters of a young woman. She had even included her home address in the upper left corner. She lived in the same town as the nursing home that housed his grandfather. The stamp was of some brightly colored fish. Her card had a group of purple and blue wild flowers, with some bright yellow dandelions near them. It was very colorful. There was a manufacturer's message in this one, a simple 'Happy birthday'.

She had also written a personal message on the opposite page of the card. She had wanted to make sure he didn't feel alone and forgotten on his birthday. This young woman, his cousin, that had never met him, and probably only heard about him on the news or stories about him as a child from his grandfather, hadn't wanted him to feel alone and forgotten on his birthday. He found himself wondering what her birthdays had been like. What did she look like, his young cousin Willow?

Erik didn't feel nearly as alone as he had before the cards arrival. Not so bored either. He decided that he would have to write to his grandfather. He had a fond, if slightly fuzzy memory of his Opa Rosenberg giving him a carved wooden toy chest for one of his birthdays long ago. Perhaps he would have to write to this "Willow" also. He worried that perhaps she didn't want him to feel alone and forgotten because she had felt that way. They had both sent him cards after his rather publicized trial, so his mutation wasn't too much of a problem for either his Opa nor his cousin. Maybe Willow was a mutant herself?

He would have to ask the guard that brought him supper if he could have a pencil and some writing paper. He had some letters to write. His future was looking up. Erik sat at his plastic table, looking at the birthday cards, a smile on his face.

end part 2.

End Family Tree 3: Birthday Cards.

I didn't know the name of where Magneto had been imprisoned. Lacking a name, I have made one up with the help of my Beta reader - thanks Domino.


	4. FT4: Nightmares & Invisible Girls

author: Lucinda

still no Willow pairing

Disclaimer: I still do not own anyone you recognize from BtVS or X-Men

Distribution: If I didn't give prior permission, please ask.

Summary: There are strange events taking place at the school.

note: I'm going for nightmarish panic with the mob, not realistic reactions or circumstances.

Willow had tried to tell someone about Erik. Her mother now had managed to process that her daughter had become pen pals with some relative from Ira's side of the family, and they were now writing to each other regularly. Her father had said that it was good she was taking an interest in learning more about her family. Buffy hadn't let her get in more than 'I have a cousin...' before going on about how Angel had turned out to be a vampire and how horribly shocking that had been. Xander had been to busy reminiscing about the cheerleader tryouts and trying to flirt with Buffy and Ms. French, the teacher who wasn't. So nobody knew she was regularly exchanging letters with one of the most feared mutants in America.

Willow had started to write Erik letters quite often, averaging one or two a week now. He had written back to her after she'd sent him a birthday card, and thanked her. Now, she was telling Erik about all sorts of things. He had become, oddly enough, her confidant. She could write to him about anything.

He wrote back telling her about his past, most of which had been dark and unhappy. He had told her about his childhood, and his youthful hopes and dreams of becoming an airplane pilot. He told her about the few people he'd managed to gather around himself more recently. There had been a shape-shifting mutant that called herself Mystique, although she could assume male shapes as easily as female ones, apparently only limited by relative mass. She had been the only person around that he could talk to about complicated things. He had written to her about the mutant know as Sabertooth, who had actually been the one to kill the guards at the Statue of Liberty. There had been the mutant who'd been so traumatized by his family that he only referred to himself as Toad. He was an excellent builder, but lacked initiative and self confidence, and had a socially awkward tendency to eat small birds.

Willow was forming a mental picture of her cousin. She saw him as a somewhat lonely person, who had been first betrayed, then abandoned and disappointed by society as a whole. A person who had been only in the company of other people outcast and scarred inside by society. It appeared to Willow that he and his group had gotten together, shared their complaints, and decided to try for revenge. In a very grown up fashion, of course.

He was also an amazingly brilliant engineer. Willow had finally managed to find and hack into the place with the schematics and photographs of his device, and she was amazed by it. She still wasn't quite certain what it had been supposed to do. She had deciphered what bits had gone where, and which things moved, and what had contained the electronic programming, but she still didn't know what it did. She had spent almost a week puzzling over what could possibly be the power source before it occurred to her that Erik was probably the power source, powering it with his own bio-magnetic field.

Now, she was trying to figure out how to explain away the little noises that she kept hearing overhead during school. It sometimes sounded like something was moving over the ceiling tiles. She had also been certain she'd heard someone giggling a few times, but that could have been the other students.

Her thoughts were disrupted when the spiders crawled out from one of the other students history book. They were big, hairy, brown spiders the size of her hand. People screamed, and jumped onto desks, and caused a big, noisy scene. Willow was busy watching the face of the student whose book was spewing spiders. He looked...guilty. Like he was being confronted by the evidence of having done something bad. That still didn't explain how a perfectly ordinary history textbook had produced a dozen large spiders from chapter forty two.

Willow never got a chance to return to her thoughts of what's crawling over our heads because of the monster in the basement. Two girls had slipped into the basement to smoke and been attacked by some sort of large scary guy. Buffy had found the girls before the guy could actually hurt them, but she had said the guy had just seemed to disappear. Willow was supposed to be meeting everyone in the library to research during lunch. Willow opened the door to enter the library

Suddenly, she was on a stage, an announcer's voice saying something... Willow only caught her name in his words. She was dressed in a green silk kimono, her face stiff with makeup. A large man in a tuxedo was standing beside her singing in Italian. The spotlight moved from him to shine in Willow's face. She had a vague glimpse of a crowd of people looking at her before all she could see was blinding white light and purple spots. The spotlight moved back to the man, and Willow caught him giving her a look of annoyance. As the spotlight moved back to her, she realized that she was supposed to sing. When she opened her mouth to try singing all that came out was a little squeak. She bolted offstage and to the right.

She was in the library. Giles was giving her an odd look, as if he wanted to ask what was wrong, but couldn't find the right words. Xander burst through the doors, muttering something about clowns. They spent a very frustrating hour trying to find a reason why a school book would pour spiders into history class. Eventually, they came to the conclusion that people were getting momentary intrusions of their fears manifesting. They started looking for causes of people seeing their fears. The disruptions were getting worse as time past. Willow got up to go over to her computer, planning on checking the hospital records for any recent patients that could be causing the nightmare flashes.

Suddenly, her parents and Principal Snyder were standing in front of her computer. They were scowling at her, which was actually a change from Principal Snyder's normal expression about her.

" I can't believe I had one of you in my school. Hiding here, concealing what you are. How dare you sit here, contaminating the normal students with your perverted ways! You are a freak of nature, and I am expelling you right now! You'll never set foot in another school in the whole state of California!" Snyder was snarling at her, practically frothing at the mouth.

"Really, Willow. I had thought your father and I had raised you better. But no, you turned out to be just another deviant mutant with enough emotional baggage to fill a train car. That reminds me, your cousin Erik is bad news, and is inciting you to rebellion and unlawful mutant activities." Her mother was frowning at her, looking at her as if she were a particularly substandard stranger.

Willow turned around, frantically hoping her friends could help her somehow. The sight she beheld was not comforting. Buffy and Xander were kissing as if they were trying to inspect each other for tonsils with their tongues.

Giles looked at her with an expression of utter dismay. "I can't have a mutant and known associate of a terrorist near my books. Get out of my library this instant. I don't even know why you came here in the first place..."

Suddenly, everything rippled, like the reflection in water just after a stone was dropped. Her parents and Snyder were gone. Giles was cleaning his glasses over by the stairs. Buffy was flipping through back issues of the newspaper. Xander was sneaking a Twinkie across the room from her. It had been another nightmare flash. They were definitely getting worse.

Buffy found something in the paper, and Willow checked the hospital records to be certain. They thought they had found he person responsible for these horrible nightmare episodes. His name was Billy, and he was in Sunnydale General in a coma. He had been found severely beaten after one of his little league games, which his team had lost.

As they were exiting the school to go to the hospital, Buffy suddenly wasn't walking with them. The sky just over a bit from the school was filled with dark, terrible clouds, and there was now a cemetery next to the school where the parking lot should be. They found themselves in front of a fresh grave with Buffy's name carved on it.

After the vampiric version of Buffy managed to claw her way out of the grave, everyone moved nervously towards the hospital. The rest of them didn't notice when they left Willow behind. They didn't notice the angry mob with anti mutant signs that was marching towards the cemetery either.

end part 1.

========================

Willow found herself against a wall, standing with her Opa Rosenberg, cousin Erik, and a strange person with green fur crouched in the corner whimpering. The mob was approaching, waving signs with slogans like 'Good mutant = Dead Mutant', 'Die, Mutant, Die' and other hateful phrases. The crowd included people she recognized, including her parents, as well as Buffy's mother and for some reason, Willow's dentist. They were closing in on the cornered group, and suddenly, Opa Rosenberg went gray and clutched at his chest.

Willow was holding her Opa, frantically trying to find out if he was okay as the mob surrounded them. The angry mob started to throw rocks and sticks at the huddled group, shouting angry words and insults.

Then they were gone. Willow was standing alone in the parking lot outside of the high school. There was no angry mob, no cemetery. Erik was gone, and so was her Opa. Willow had no idea if the frightened green person had even been real to start with.

That was really, really weird. Terrifying and weird. Willow was very quiet as she went back into the library to wait for the others to make their triumphant return from the hospital. Giles has theorized that all they had to do to end the nightmare realities was to find the source and wake him up, which had been why they had gone to the hospital. Willow hoped that meant Buffy wasn't a vampire anymore.

She called Rustling Pines and learned that her Grandfather had suffered a mild heart attack, and was on his way to the hospital now. She didn't have a number to try to call to check on Erik. Willow fidgeted and worked on her geometry until everyone came back. When she quietly asked how things went, she was told about Buffy talking to the comatose boy and arguing with his coach, who had apparently been the one to beat the poor boy up in the first place.

Willow's whispered comment about how could one sleeping boy cause so many people to see and live their nightmares was met with a long, dry explanation from Giles that could be summarized by he didn't know, but blamed the Hellmouth.

"Maybe the boy's one of those mutants. You know, they're dangerous. They can do all sorts of scary things, like that Magneto guy who destroyed a train and tried to kill the United Nation Delegates. " Xander's opinion was shorter, easier to follow, and infinitely more worrisome to Willow than Giles' words.

end part 2.

===========================================

Willow was now positive that something was living in the school. She was hearing little noises, and something had attacked a jock in the locker-room. He hadn't seen anything. Willow thought the attacker was most likely the source of the scuttling noises she kept hearing. She also had the feeling things would get worse before they got better.

After the jock in the locker room had been carried to the ambulance, one of the cheerleaders fell down the staircase. Willow had been watching, and it had looked s if something had pushed the girl. But, there hadn't been anyone Willow could see behind Harmony. She was also certain she had heard that giggling again after Harmony had fallen down the stairs.

One of the teachers was attacked, and rescued by Buffy. Giles asked Buffy numerous questions before coming to the conclusion that the attacker had been invisible. He had everyone but Buffy looking up invisibility cloaks and demons that could make themselves unseen. Willow thought it was more likely to be a mutant, an angry mutant that had been very unhappy at school.

Buffy returned with a yearbook. Marcy Clark was a girl in their grade, and Xander had no idea who she was. Willow knew who Marcy was, although they weren't friends. She had tried to talk to Marcy, but Marcy had wanted desperately to fit in with Cordelia and Harmony's crowd, and that had meant ignoring Willow. Now, it looked like Marcy was invisible, and quite possible mentally unbalanced. She also appeared to be hurting everyone who had made her life miserable.

There was a mutant in their class. Willow sat in the library, pondering the implications of that. Marcy was a mutant, and invisible. She was also carrying a grudge the size of a small mountain. No good could come of this.

end part 3.

====================

While Buffy had gone out to find Marcy and stop her from doing something dreadful to Cordelia, Willow stayed in the library. She was thinking. She had also overheard one of the juniors say that little Timmy, the boy from the hospital, had been sent away to a private school somewhere on the east coast. Apparently, a representative of some private academy had gone to speak with his parents, and they had jumped at the opportunity. Kevin had then gone into great detail describing the school representative. The red haired woman in a red suit had apparently made quite the impression. He was going to remember Doctor Jean Grey for a long time.

Buffy and Cordelia came into the library, talking about something. Willow straightened in her chair, startled. Buffy and Cordelia walking in together? Willow listened to their words. Cordelia had apparently been kidnapped by Marcy and dragged into one of the annex buildings used by the advanced biology students when they were dissecting things. Marcy had then planned to slash up Cordelia's face, scarring her horribly. Buffy was talking about how two guys in suits from the government had showed up and taken Marcy away. Buffy thought that had really made her life so much easier, and what did the government want with an invisible nutcase anyhow?

Willow was still in deep thought during the whole discussion between Buffy and Giles that followed. Xander had offered to walk Cordelia somewhere, but she had said she didn't need anymore help from the looser squad, thanks. Buffy was trying to explain how she had fought against something she couldn't see. Xander kept making little comments about Marcy being some sort of freak, and having serious mental problems on top of that.

Willow was thinking about everyone's reactions. Giles thought the whole thing was an interesting puzzle to consider, now that the danger was over. Buffy seemed to think Marcy was now some sort of not quite human bad thing. Xander had quit clearly said Marcy was some sort of psycho freak. It wasn't encouraging for Willow. She was pretty sure that they would freak about cousin Erik, as much as they were fussing about Marcy.

She had a long letter for Erik about her week. Opa Rosenberg had had a heart attack and was in the hospital. She explained about the nightmare realities that had been caused by the comatose boy. She mentioned that he had been taken off to a private school, by a red haired woman called Doctor Jean Grey. She told him about Marcy Clark, the invisible girl. How Marcy had beat up the jock because he couldn't see her, and nearly disfigured Cordelia. She wrote how some men in suits from the government had come and taken Marcy away. Nobody knew quite where they had taken Marcy, and nobody else seemed to care.

Willow wrote how everyone was so busy being appalled by the 'inexplicable' attacks that Marcy had caused they were not worried by Marcy's disappearance. Willow's friends were not worried about why the government had wanted an invisible girl. Buffy was just glad Marcy was gone. Xander was still trying to flirt with Buffy. Giles thought Marcy's invisibility was an interesting mental puzzle - how did she do it? Willow had explained about Marcy being ignored for so long... how nobody had really realized that she had become invisible because nobody realized she was there to begin with.

Willow didn't include it in her letter, but she also gave a great deal of thought to her glimpses into her nightmares. She had known she had stage fright, and got very nervous when large numbers of people were focused on her. But the other flashes had been different. First, she had seen her hopes of a bright academic future shattered by Snyder deciding he couldn't have a mutant freak in his school. Her parents had utterly rejected her on the basis of being a mutant. Giles had been disappointed, and appalled. the whole lynch mob trying to stone her and Opa and Erik to death was a little easier to analyze.

She didn't know if she was actually a mutant. The possibility was there, and it frightened her. What if she was a mutant and everyone around her rejected her for it? She didn't have many people close to her, and it would be horrible if they pushed her away. Her academic hopes would be made very difficult if not impossible if she were publicly declared a mutant freak. Willow was aware that there was a definite social discrimination against known mutants. Willow realized that she was more afraid of the social consequences of being a mutant than of actually being one, and she really needed to get some more friends.

end part 4.

=====================

Erik had a lot to think about. Charles had visited him yesterday. He had been surprised to see a doorway with cards taped to it. Erik's guards didn't trust him enough to give him a bulletin board and push pins, so the cards had been taped around a doorway. There were the birthday cards he had received, and also Chanukah cards. He had a pair of shoeboxes that were now holding his letters from Opa and Willow. Charles had been trying to figure out who on earth would be sending holiday cards to Magneto. He had decided to let Charles wonder about it.

One of the guards came across the gap, bringing him a letter. Since this had become a regular occurrence, the guards had become less nervous about bringing him mail. It was from Willow, and looked thicker than normal. He smiled in anticipation. Letters from Willow were normally the high point of his week. She had also sent him pictures, mostly of the outside, although she had sent some of displays at a local art gallery.

After he'd finished her letter, Erik wasn't smiling anymore. His Opa was in the hospital, having suffered a heart attack. There had been a mutant, now at Charles Xavier's school that had manifested everyone's nightmares. That sort of power was astonishing. Was it some sort of mental hallucination or reality alteration? Willow had nearly been killed by an angry mob, although she had been a bit vague on why the mob had been after her to begin with. Erik wasn't certain if she didn't want to tell him why the mob was after her or if she just didn't want to tell him yet.

The news about the girl Marcy was even more disturbing. Charles wouldn't use the boy as a weapon, because Charles was an optimist who believed in happily ever after for everyone. But, Marcy hadn't gone off with Charles. She had effectively been "disappeared" by the government. Erik could think of several things that a government or branch therein could want with someone who was invisible. He was extremely concerned. He was also coming to the conclusion that Willow wasn't safe in Sunnydale. The more she told about her home town in her letters, the less safe he thought the town was.

What could he do? He couldn't go there to watch over her, he was in prison. He couldn't have her leave, she was a very stubborn young woman. But he didn't want to leave her unprotected in a place where the biggest concern about one of the students being hospitalized was how that changed plans for the weekend. Erik gave the matter a great deal of thought. He could only come up with one idea that might work. He would send her a bodyguard. Sabertooth was probably bored anyhow, and he should certainly be able to keep Willow safe. He had a letter to write.

A week later, the mutant known as Sabertooth, read his letter and smiled. Erik wanted him to go to the other side of the country and keep this girl safe? He could do that. Erik had even included a picture of her, his cousin Willow. She looked fragile, and young. He would go keep her safe. He had nothing better to do here anyhow.

=================

End part 5.

End Family Tree 4: Nightmares & Invisible Girls.


	5. FT5: Wishing on a Starless Night Sky

Author: Lucinda

rating: PG 13

Disclaimer: I still do not own anyone you recognize.

Distribution: leave my name on it & tell me where it goes.

Post X-Men the movie, end of Season 1 Buffy.

Willow was on her way home, having gone to the Bronze with her friends. Xander was planning to ask Buffy to go with him to the Spring Dance. He'd been practicing on Willow earlier that night. She was hopeless, waiting patiently for Xander to notice her. So far, it wasn't working. She was listening to Xander explain all the reasons why learning about math was unimportant to his future. Well, actually, she was just listening to Xander talk and imagining that he was talking to her - really talking to her instead of just to his best bud Will.

She tried to distract herself from Xander thoughts by doing her homework. Half an hour later, she was finished with her homework, not thinking about Xander, and slightly bored. She turned on her computer and went back to thinking about Erik's machine: what was it made of and what was it supposed to do, anyhow? The nice scientists working on it for the state investigation had been analyzing, so she knew what the assorted pieces had been made from. She was a bit ahead of them on the question of function, because they were still trying to figure out what had powered the novel device. Willow could see how it had fit together. She knew what parts had moved, and where the power and instructions had come from. She had no idea what it did other than it had made a silvery light at the Statue of Liberty.

She was a bit curious when her next letter from Erik would arrive. He usually sent her one every week, but they didn't always come on the same day. Lately, he had started to sound like he was worried about her safety in Sunnydale. It was almost unexpected, and oddly comforting to know that he would care if she got hurt. He also was telling her that there really wasn't anything she could do about Xander not noticing her unless she had some sort of mind control abilities that she had neglected to tell him about. Willow had smiled when she read that.

She was beginning to suspect that he was right. Nothing she could do would make Xander notice that she was a young woman. Nobody else seemed to care that she was young and single, unless it was someone teasing her about it. Buffy had suggested 'seize the day', and Willow thought that it probably worked very well for Buffy. Willow had tried seizing the moment once at the Bronze, it had nearly gotten her eaten by a vampire.

Maybe having mutant mental powers to make someone notice her would be neat. Willow pondered that for a while before deciding that that really wouldn't be so neat after all. Did it really count as someone liking you if they only liked you because you went into their head and changed it so they did? She rather suspected that the answer was no. She didn't have friends, but she would rather have a few friends that really liked her than a horde of mind controlled minions. Maybe that explained Cordelia.... Was she really a mutant mind controlling Harmony and the rest of her flock?

She just wondered why she kept thinking that someone was watching her. She had thought maybe on the walk home from the Bronze, but had dismissed it as her imagination. The odd feeling of being watched had come back. Willow wasn't certain it was her imagination anymore. She shut her blinds and changed in the bathroom before going to bed that night.

end part 1.

Willow was pensive as she got ready for school. She almost remembered having strange dreams last night, there had been a big cat and vampires and... a shiny disco ball? Maybe she was ahead to forget that dream. She still felt like something was watching her. It was a bit weird, but she didn't think it was someone hostile.

Cordelia cornered her in the hallway during school to ask if she would help set up the sound system for the Spring Dance. Cordelia expected to be crowned May Queen. Willow filtered out the social expectations and tried to focus on the technical details.

She ended up spending an incredibly long night setting up sound equipment at the Bronze for a dance she had no intention of attending. Cordelia's current boyfriend Kevin had been supposed to show up and help them, but he never did. Willow tried to ignore her annoyance at that and focused on the equipment. She wondered if it would be faster to move it if she had magnetic abilities like Erik did or if the magnetic field would short out the electronics. Cordelia demanded that they go find the guys when they woke up and realized that they had fallen asleep in the Bronze, and the guys still hadn't shown up.

They got to school, with Cordelia working herself up to a furious state as they walked towards the lounge at the high school. They could hear the sound of Saturday morning cartoons playing as they approached. Willow was fairly certain it was an old Looney Tunes that was playing... Maybe Wiley Coyote? Either way, she had a bad feeling. She didn't think that a whole group of guys would just ignore Cordelia Chase, something must have happened. 'Something' in Sunnydale was usually something bad. What was that odd smell anyhow? Sort of metallic and strong... it reminded Willow of the time she had helped Xander and his mom start a roast for dinner.

Something had indeed happened to the guys. Willow knew it as they reached the door. They were too quiet; who could watch Looney Tunes without laughing? Cordelia was saying something about wasn't it cute when Willow noticed the handprint on the screen. It was smaller than her hand, and it had been made with something red that had dripped slightly. The whole group of guys including Kevin were dead.

The carpet on the floor was now soaked red with blood. The wall had a few splashes across them, and one of the lamps had been broken. The guys had been arranged on and around the couch. The whole scene had been carefully arranged by the killers. Willow had the sudden sick certainty that whoever - maybe whatever had done this had enjoyed it. Had enjoyed killing these boys and creating this display. Willow was going into shock, Cordelia was starting into loud hysterics.

She had a brief talk with Giles, as Cordelia wasn't making enough sense for anyone else to learn more than 'they're dead...blood everywhere... eeeew' Willow actually thought that Cordelia had summarized effectively - the guys were dead, there had been lots of blood, and it was definitely eeeew. It was such a descriptive word. She decided to stay home tonight. Not going to the dance, not going to go out and hope to see Xander in formal wear. She planned to stay as far from the school and the Bronze as she could tonight. It would be safer that way.

She calmly walked herself home. Buffy had been upset about something all day, Xander was preoccupied with Buffy, Cordelia was the center of attention of everyone at the library, and from the police that had been called to the school to deal with the situation. Willow still felt like she was being watched.

end part 2.

Willow had apparently missed a very eventful evening by staying home. Buffy had gone to fight the master, drowned, and been brought back to life by Xander. Angel and Xander had followed Buffy into the tunnels where the Master had been imprisoned. They had found the Master gone and Buffy lying face down in the water. Cordelia and Ms. Calendar had tried to get away from a swarm of vampires, drove into the school, and fought some nasty, tentacled thing in the library before the Master had been thrown down from the roof and impaled himself on a broken desk in front of everybody else. They had then gone to the dance as a group.

They hadn't even realized that she wasn't there. She had expected Cordelia not to worry about her, they had never been friends. Xander had been her best friend since kindergarten, and hadn't noticed that she wasn't there. Neither had Buffy, but she supposed drowning gave Buffy an excuse to not notice a few things. Angel had never noticed her anyhow, so that was consistent. Willow was feeling very left out. She was also coming to the conclusion that Xander would never want her, and she would always get left out by people. Just wishing things would change was an exercise in futility. She read her letter, and decided to visit her Opa, and then write another letter to Erik.

She still felt like she was being watched by something. The only thing Willow was positive of was that her follower couldn't be a vampire, because it was very sunny out today. Her trip to Rustling Pines was uneventful.

Erik received his weekly letter from Willow, and also a letter from Opa. That was good, it meant Opa was feeling better after his heart attack. Willow's letter was different than her others. She said she had finally realized that Xander would never notice her as a woman, he would always see her as just his pal Will. She had concluded that she would never be the center of social circles, and shouldn't expect others to always feel that they had to let her tag along with their lives. He was worried, not that she had given up on Xander, but because she sounded like she was on the verge of loosing that internal bright light of hope. Then he read about the bodies she had found in her school.

No wonder she was upset. She had on the same day found a mass murder and been abandoned by her friends. He felt better knowing that Sabertooth was watching out for her. He sat down and wept for her pain, and for the dark future she could face if she lost her hope in the good of people and her place in the world the way he had lost his. He didn't want Willow to be here in fifty years, imprisoned and alone, feeling apart from the world. There was nothing more he could do for her besides doing his best to be there for her through his letters.

end part 3.

end Family Tree 5: Wishing Upon A Starless Night Sky.


	6. FT6: School's Out, Now What?

Author: Lucinda

Rating: PG 13

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone you recognize from X-Men or Buffy.

Distribution: keep my name on it & let me know where it has gone.

Notes: this is set in the summer after season 1 Buffy, and post X-Men the movie. You might want to read the previous Family Tree & Cat's Tale stories to follow.

Thanks to Domino Rose-Mystagic for betaing this

Willow was delighted to see Amy. She had known that Amy would be spending the summer with her Dad, and trying to get over the fact that her mother had possessed her body. Willow thought some time being normal would be good for Amy. They were going to have brownies and talk about their plans for the summer before Amy had to leave.

The brownies had chocolate chips and walnuts in them. They were delicious and neither girl wanted to think about how many calories were in them. They talked about beaches, and movies. Amy promised to bring something nice back for Willow. Then, she said she had a book for Willow down in the car. After Amy had left with her Dad to spend the summer in L.A. Willow remembered the brownies were still out on the balcony. The pan was empty. Willow still felt like she was being followed, maybe her shadow had eaten the last of the brownies?

She decided to watch C-Span. School was out for the summer, so there wasn't any homework to do. There was a debate going about how to protect people from the misuse of mutant abilities. There were a number of suggested solutions, and Willow listened to the discussion with interest. There was a man in a wheelchair named Charles Xavier who was speaking for the idea that mutant rights needed to be protected also. This must be the "Charles" about whom Erik had written.

The next day she found out Buffy had gone to spend the summer with her father. Xander was the one to tell her. She was a bit shaken by that news. Buffy had left for the summer and hadn't thought to say goodbye. She must still be upset because the Master had drowned her.

Willow had a lot of time to think. She could visit Opa more often now, since school was out. Vampires and demons and mutants... oh my... Willow thought about the dangers of living on the Hellmouth and decided that she needed to get in better shape. She would take up running.

The next day, Willow started her day with a jog. By the end, she was reminding herself of her reasoning for doing this in the first place. She went to visit her Opa, and they had a long talk about mutants, and what might happen. Willow mentioned her thoughts about the chance that she was a mutant, and her fears about how people would react if she were. Opa Rosenberg told Willow that true friends wouldn't care if she were a mutant, a lawyer, or even a politician; they would still be her friends.

They had a talk about standing firm in your beliefs, and in being true to yourself. How could you be happy if you lived a lie? They talked about Willow's fears, and her Opa tried his best to calm Willow about some of them. He told her that it didn't matter to him if she was a mutant. He was also quite certain that Erik wouldn't be upset at all.

As Willow left Rustling Pines, Oris Rosenberg watched her go. He frowned suddenly, what was that dark shape following Willow? He wished his eyes were better, all he could tell was that it was something big.

end part 1.

Erik sat in his plastic chair, thinking. He kept feeling these odd twinges in his leg. He wasn't certain what was causing them. They could be entirely natural; after all he wasn't a young man anymore. Over the years, he had had a number of injuries, maybe he was just feeling twinges from the places that had healed. He decided to ask one of his guards if he could have a doctor come and look him over.

That decided, he turned back to his latest letter from Willow. She had finished school for the year, and had received excellent grades. She planned to take a psychology class next year. She had also wrote about how her mother was telling her that she should start planning for college already, and telling her to choose her college carefully, "because some of the most useful contacts for the future you can meet in college." Erik was fairly certain he wouldn't get along well with Willow's mother. He was also more glad than ever that he had sent Sabertooth to keep her safe. Her parents didn't seem very good at it - they had only recently realized that her friend Jesse had been killed several months earlier. Willow wrote that they had asked her why Jesse hadn't been over to visit lately.

Willow was feeling like something was watching her again. This was different though. Whatever was watching her now was something bad. It made Willow feel exposed, and vulnerable when this something was watching. She had also found a small puddle of green slime by the mailbox. Her imagination had immediately tried to give a shape to her slimy watcher. She resolved to find Giles and try to ask him about scary watching things that leave green slime.

She did manage to find Giles. After explaining why she was there, he had sighed. Willow didn't have much to research on. Something was watching her. There had been green slime by the mailbox, and she thought it was something bad. They had looked in several books of demons and come to the conclusion that there were to many things that had green slime to identify what was here on the slime alone.

Willow left Giles' house after a while. He had a date that evening with Miss Calendar, the computer teacher from school. Giles had known Buffy was leaving for the summer. Buffy had told Giles, and Xander. Both of them had assumed that Willow had also known. And an unidentified something with green slime was in Sunnydale. Summer didn't look boring so far, just lonely.

end part 2.

===============================================

Willow was sitting at home. She had decided to stop looking at the big books of demons for her slimy stalker because she didn't know enough to identify it. There were literally hundreds of demons that had slime associated with them. It had been giving her a headache. Giles had promised that he would go to Willie's to see if the snitch had any information that would narrow the search down.

She was feeling a bit lonely, so she decided to call Xander and see if he wanted to hang out. His mother answered the phone and informed Willow that Alexander was out with some girl. "Stacie" or "Tracie" or some such name. Willow declined to leave a message. She hung up the phone and sighed. Xander was on a date. He hadn't told her that he had even asked anyone out since asking Buffy to the Spring Dance. She was feeling very left out.

She put on some soothing music and settled down with some hot cocoa and read one of her letters from Erik. Outside, it began to rain.

Rupert Giles was standing in front of a small, dirty building in the warehouse area of Sunnydale. Giles knew he would be appalled at the inside of the bar called Willie's Alibi. Willie catered to a low crowd, one that included many demons and vampires. He was also one of the first to learn of any new dangerous thing stalking Sunnydale. The odds were good that he would know if there were any things in town that had green slime and were likely to be stalking young girls. With a sigh, he entered the building.

The lights were dim, and the bar was filled with smoke. Some of the patrons were sitting at the little tables with baskets of greasy things in front of them. Giles didn't know what they were eating, and didn't want to. He moved through the crowd and approached the bar. This is where Giles strategy of getting information differed from the one Buffy used. Giles took a seat at a barstool and ordered a beer. Beer in hand, he then listened to what was being said in the bar. He could ask specific questions of Willie later.

Giles heard a great deal of discussion about sports scores, and arguments about the calls of the referees. More disturbingly, he learned that there was something that had arrived in town a few weeks ago. Nobody was sure what it was, but he was around seven feet tall, with a mane of blond hair. He looked "mostly human" according to a patron with yellow scales. The big something had staked out an area of the residential section. So far, he had simply appeared, killed anything that attacked him, any vampires he ran into wandering around at night, and all the nasty things that had been living in that area. North as far as Chestnut Street, west to the river, south past the high school, and east as far as Main.

The patrons of Willie's were terrified by this guy. He hadn't gathered minions. He hadn't tried to end the world or open the Hellmouth. He was here, and killed anyone that tried to change that. He wasn't a vampire. He didn't sound like any demon Giles recognized, although there were many, many different demons. He had thrown a Sa'Barneth demon through a brick wall before ripping it into pieces. Giles knew that a Sa'Barneth was seven feet tall, covered with blue scales, and had a venomous bite. They were lethal. He hadn't known there were any near Sunnydale, though it appeared there weren't any now.

There was also supposed to be some sort of cousin to slime demon in town. He asked Willie more about that one. It was about the height on a normal man, and amphibious like a frog. Its skin was covered with green slime, and it had the ability to blend in with its background. They ate human flesh, and preferred the flesh of the gifted, either those gifted with magic, or those with less physical mutations.

Giles cleaned his glasses and went back to his house to research slime demons and their flesh-eating cousins. It sounded like something from a bad talk show. One was rumored to be in Sunnydale, and it might be after Willow. This was not encouraging.

Ira and Sheila Rosenberg were taking their suitcases to the car when Willow came down to get a glass of juice from the kitchen. She blinked at them a few times.

"Mom? Dad? Where are you going?" Willow almost kept the quaver out of her voice. Her parents missed it entirely.

"Honey, didn't we tell you that there was a psychiatrist's conference in New York? Your father and I are going to fly out there for a couple of weeks. Don't worry; you'll be fine. You can spend time with Xander and that 'Bunny' girl." Her mother answered as they packed the last suitcase into the car. It was obvious that she felt Willow perfectly capable of looking after herself for those weeks.

" Don't worry; you'll be just fine. You should feel happy that we have enough confidence in you to leave you by yourself. It means we trust you." Her mother's parting words were not comforting to Willow.

Willow watched the car leave until the glowing taillights had vanished. She turned, and went back into the house. Willow would have felt alone in the world except that she could still feel somebody watching her. The one that didn't want to hurt her. She also remembered Erik, and her Opa. Not quite alone in the world then.

end part 3.

Giles had called Willow with the information he had discovered about the slime creature. He had given her the long version, including the fact that it was a cousin to the 'true slime demon' and that it had an unpronounceable name, and that it's preferred prey was gifted people. He hadn't mentioned the other newcomer to Sunnydale. Willow was somewhere between glad to have some answers and worried that some slimy thing wanted to eat her.

The next day, she had decided to go visit Xander. His mom had been friendly, and they had talked a bit about minor things in the past. Willow had then gone to talk to Xander. It had gone well until he started to go on about his unrequited crush on Buffy and how Willow had no idea of the pain of unreturned love. He had then moved from that to the frustration of trying to understand Tracie, his current target d'amor, and what did she want anyhow?

Willow had lost her temper and yelled at him. She told him that she'd had a crush on someone for four years, and he'd never had a clue. Buffy had known about his feelings, and given him an answer. Furthermore, if he was so hung up on Buffy, why was he seeing this Tracie chick anyhow? Willow had stormed out the door, not even noticing that she hadn't had to touch the door before it slammed shut behind her.

She went home to write a letter to Erik, and to ask him if teenage boys had been like this where he grew up, or if it was just something about California. She would feel better after writing her letter.

As she wrote, her unseen bodyguard smiled. It was about time somebody yelled at that boy.

Meanwhile, arrangements had been made for Erik Lenscherr to see a doctor. It had taken a while, as there was great fear over letting him anywhere near metal. He had gone to see a doctor, and been inspected. Lights had been shone into his eyes, mouth and ears. He had been X-rayed, and run through a machine to get images of his internal organs. The most painful test was a biopsy from his leg, where he kept getting these pains.

Doctor Robert Hause had concluded that his patient had a sound heart, but something seemed a bit off. He would have the test results back on the biopsy, and thought they would tell him more. He had agreed that whatever the problem was, it didn't sound like arthritis. He didn't think it was just old scars either. He was suspecting bone cancer. Just in case, did the patient have any close relatives that might be a compatible tissue match?

end part 4.

Willow had been very thoughtful as she and Giles researched assorted slime demons and the methods to kill them. Some methods involved carefully prepared weapons, others required specific methods of damage - decapitation, or removal of certain internal organs. Willow thought it was rather icky. Unfortunately, the fact that they had the name for this one didn't mean they knew exactly what to do. They had to use the books of demons to look it up and figure out how to kill it before it got it's chosen victim. The closest to a bright side was that it's chosen victim seemed to be Willow, and they both could see that it hadn't gotten her, yet.

"Giles? I want you to teach me how to fight. I mean, Buffy's the Slayer, so she's the one that's supposed to fight evil and kill demons, but... she's not here. I don't like being helpless and needing somebody to save me. So, can you teach me some about fighting? Enough that I can try to buy time for Buffy to save me?" Willow timidly spoke, choosing a moment when Giles had put down his book.

Giles looked at her, somewhat surprised. Willow had always been the quietest of the few people that had chosen to help Buffy. She had always been the one to comfort Buffy in times of stress, or find answers on the computer. He had never pictured her actually fighting the dangers of the Hellmouth. However, Willow had raised a valid point. Buffy was not here right now.

"I suppose that I can help you learn a little. It will take a great deal of practice, and will give you numerous aches, but I can teach you." Giles looked at Willow thoughtfully, trying to decide what method would be the best to start her with. " It probably is a wise precaution to know something of how to defend yourself, being as this is the Hellmouth."

"I might need to know how to defend myself. Or how to defend someone else someday." Willow was remembering her nightmare, cornered by an angry mob, someone helpless to run or fight cornered with her." I don't plan on looking for monsters to fight, no not me, I like not running into the nasties. But the nasties don't worry about 'does this person want to meet them', no they just start stalking you or attacking and why do so many things come to California anyhow?" Willow started to reassure Giles, and ended up babbling about the violent tendencies of the things they helped Buffy fight.

Giles smiled slightly. Willow had a refreshing view on life, and managed to retain her good cheer despite the evils stalking the night. "Evil is drawn to the Hellmouth. It ... ahh... it generates an aura of evil, and of power that draws, to it, creatures capable of sensing it. Then, ambition makes them want to take control. Historically, Hellmouths have drawn vampires, as well as a number of demons entities to try to gain power over them. I believe there is a group of watchers attempting to determine if the Hellmouth has any discernable effect on mutants, but I don't know if they have been having much luck. The Council of Watchers has the view that as mutants are essentially human, the have little impact on the concerns of the Council, or of the Slayer."

Willow had smiled a little bit. Having her fears assuaged, she thanked Giles, and made her way home. She was glad to know that Giles would teach her how to fight. It was unsettling to be helpless when something was after her. She carefully stayed in well-lit areas, and was alert on her way home.

She discovered that a postal package had been delivered to her house. It was even addressed to her, not one of her parents. Willow smiled with glee, and carried it to her room to open. The return address was from Amy Madison, at her father's address. Willow tore open the package to see what Amy had sent her. Inside, there was a pale green tee shirt with a willow tree stenciled on it in golden glitter. There was also a smaller box with some scented candles in peach, apple, cherry and raspberry. A brief note was enclosed, saying that Amy had found these at a store she and her dad had gone to, and they had made her think of Willow, so she bought them for her. Willow was delighted.

Erik was reading his latest correspondence from Willow. Her friends Buffy and Amy had both gone to spend the summer with their fathers. Her other friend, Xander was dating some girl, and had no time for Willow. She was also concerned about.... His thoughts were interrupted by Charles Xavier's arrival. He carefully put the letter away so that Charles wouldn't see it. He would visit with his old friend and rival. Charles was also the only person that actually came here to visit him. He had a great deal of personal respect for Charles, even if he was overly optimistic about the future, and human's acceptance of mutants. Unfortunately, Charles was also a telepath.

"What has you so troubled, Erik? I can feel your worry..."

Charles' words were at once annoying and reassuring. If he had to ask what was wrong, he didn't know about Willow. If he learned where Sabertooth had gone, he would undoubtedly send his X-Men to find him and take him away somewhere. That would leave Willow unprotected. Erik couldn't allow that.

" I have been having these odd twinges in my leg. I managed to persuade my keepers that I should see a doctor about it. We are still waiting for the results, but he thinks it may be cancer. If it is, there will be surgery and possible chemotherapy to remove the cancer. But, unless a genetically compatible bone marrow donor is found, I may have extreme difficulty with my bones for the rest of my life. I also suspect that the doctor was attempting to be gentle with his words so as not to worry me about my chances of survival." Erik decided to tell Charles about his health, hoping that Charles would put his worries down to simple health concerns. Truthfully, Erik was concerned. He knew enough to be aware that cancer killed, and that without a donor his chances of survival were minimal.

Charles expressed his concerns, and they discussed the weather a bit. Erik managed to get Charles to tell him how the currant political feeling was going about mutants. He was pleased that the Mutant Registration Law requiring all known mutants to be registered with a national office had been voted down. There was currently a debate going about creating a listing of mutants that had been known to use their abilities in a criminal manner, similar to a listing for sex offenders. Charles told him about that, adding that there was some opposition to this on ground of invasion of privacy, or the burden of proving someone had used mutant powers, rather than merely happening to be near a tragic occurrence.

They discussed historical situations that might have an influence on mutant rights. Charles played a few games of chess with him, and then had to return home. Erik carefully tried not to let his mind dwell on Willow or Sabertooth during Charles visit, lest the telepath pick up something.

end part 5

Buffy called Willow on Wednesday. Willow had just finished a run, and was sorting the mail, hoping for another letter from Erik. The phone had rung, and it was Buffy.

She wanted to tell Willow all about how she and her dad were spending quality time together, and about this great new jacket that she'd got. They had been going to the beach, and Buffy was trying to learn how to surf, with minimal luck. She talked about the cute guys at the beach, and the great shopping opportunities. She was really getting into the summer break idea. Finally, she had paused, and asked Willow how things in Sunnydale were.

Willow had told her that Xander seeing a girl named Tracie, and no, Willow hadn't met her. She mentioned that she hadn't had much time to hang out with Xander because of that. Buffy had casually said that it was natural to want to spend a lot of time with a new boyfriend or girlfriend. Willow mentioned that Amy had also gone to her dad's for the summer. She then told Buffy that Giles and Jenny Calendar were dating. They had gone out to dinner, and even gone to the theatre. Buffy was a bit disturbed, being as she saw Giles as an almost fatherly figure, and therefore didn't want to think of him dating or any other adult-like, "personal" things.

Willow also told Buffy that her cousin Erik was sick, and trying to find out what was wrong with him. She then had to explain to Buffy that Erik didn't go to school with them, he lived far away and was out of school now anyhow. They wrote letters. No, Buffy hadn't met him.

After the phone call, Willow felt better. Buffy hadn't completely forgotten about Willow during her vacation. She had called, and she had talked with Willow for a long time. Buffy had expressed concern over Willow's cousin, and told her that she hoped he'd be okay for Willow's sake. They had discussed life in general. Willow hadn't mentioned the slime demon, but she had mentioned that she'd yelled at Xander. She hadn't quite told Buffy everything about it, but she had mentioned that Xander had been deliberately avoiding her ever since. It hurt Willow's feelings that he didn't want to talk to her.

She visited her Opa after that, and they spent about an hour discussing history, and what Opa thought about it. They had laughed as they ate strawberries. It was a pleasant afternoon.

Willow had her first lesson on fighting with Giles that evening. He had decided to start Willow with a quarterstaff. Partly because it had no sharp edges for either of them to get hurt on, and partly because if she could use a staff, she could improvise with a number of other things.

It had been a welcome change for him to work with someone that couldn't throw him across the room.

The slime demon was dismembered over her parent's driveway when she got home. It rather looked like a giant bipedal frog. Ick. The thing was very, very dead. Something with claws had killed it, and there were a few strands of long blondish hair caught in one of the slime demon's fists. Willow felt surprised, and much safer. She looked up and spoke to the night air.

"Thank you." After that, Willow went into the house. She felt safe again.

... and Sabertooth, in the shadows, smiled his appreciation for his work.

In his plastic cell in the middle of the Terrance J. Dalton Federal Prison, Erik Lenscherr sat with a paper crumpled in his hand. His test results were back. He had been diagnosed positive for cancer.

end part 6.

end Family Tree 6: School's Out, Now What?


	7. FT7: Views Into the Future

Author: Lucinda

rating Pg

no pairing for Willow yet

distribution: Charity's site, all others please ask

disclaimer: If you recognize them, they probably aren't mine.

set in AU summer after season 1 buffy, post X-Men the movie

Willow's parents had returned from the convention, full of interesting stories of what happened. Some were of interest only to those with some understanding of psychology, others, like the cow that had somehow ended up wandering loose through the third day's lunch buffet were of much wider interest. They had enjoyed their trip.

Towards the end of the second week, there had been a big, property damaging fight between a trio of blond mutants in green that could shoot energy from their hands and a group of mutants in black leather. The ones in black had won, and stayed just long enough to see the police would take the green clad mutants away before disappearing.

Among the souvenirs of New York, Sheila Rosenberg had brought pictures. She had a picture of the cow standing in the wreckage of the lunch, eating a chocolate cake. She had pictures of some of the famous landmarks. She had a few pictures of the mutants fighting each other. She had also brought Willow a New York tee shirt. She also had a box of papers and notes from the conference.

Willow was glad that they had enjoyed their trip. She felt a bit less alone. Xander still wasn't talking to her. Buffy and Amy were still gone for the summer, although they had called. She was also fairly certain that something was bothering Erik, but he hadn't mentioned any problems in his letters. Giles had been giving her lessons on fighting, but it wasn't the same. She pondered her small circle of people while her parents looked at their collected mail.

Willow's mother paused at one of the envelopes she had received. Frowning slightly, she opened it and pulled out a pale green card. She read it and sat down, and expression of pleased surprise on her face.

"Oh, my this is interesting. Bernice is getting married and wants all of us to attend. She mentioned that you would be good company for Em's girls, Willow, as they are about your age. We will have to pack your things so that we can leave in a few days. It looks like we will be in San Diego for a wedding." Sheila's voice was cheerful.

Willow looked at her mother, slightly startled. Her mother's mother had died in some sort of accident while she was young, and her father had remarried when Sheila was ten. Bernice was her sister from her father's second marriage. Em was Emily, Sheila's older sister. She had a son named Kevin that was nineteen and in collage, and twin daughters that were a year older than Willow named Crystal and Lillian. Willow had been able to finally get everything straightened out when she did her family tree project. Willow was less certain that Lillian and Crystal would welcome her company.

It looked like they would be going to San Diego. In a car trip because her parents had just flown to New York, and had been unhappy with the air travel. Willow was certain it would be a long trip.

Outside, Sabertooth frowned. San Diego? How many relatives did Willow have? At least they wouldn't be flying, the changing pressure always made his head hurt. He began planning his trip. At least he didn't have to pack.

end part 1.

Erik sat in his plastic chair feeling empty and sad. Cancer. Had he survived the hells of a concentration camp, the troubles of war ravaged Europe, and the death of his wife and child, followed by the thwarting of his plan to force the world's leaders to view mutants as people, not a problem to die to cancer? To die from his own body turning against him? It was a horribly demeaning way to die and so common.

He hadn't told Willow. He mentioned the twinges in his letters to Opa, but he hadn't told Willow. He wasn't certain how to tell her about this. He had letters to read, perhaps he could come up with an answer of how to tell her if he didn't focus on it for now. Opa had wrote to him, and he learned about Charlie down the hall cheating at poker again. He had won a nice oak cane from the poker game, and the wrath of the nurses for being up so late. He got to read about the weather in California, which was mostly sunny, and hot. There was concern about drought and grass fires.

Willow had also sent him a letter. Her parents had returned from a two week convention in New York, and had some very interesting stories about their trip. A cow in the lunch, with a taste for chocolate? Tipsy psychologists trying to do the can-can in one of the lecture halls? He had laughed, especially since Willow had included copies of some of the pictures her parents had brought back. There had also been a fight between two groups of mutants. She had included some pictures from that, and he recognized on group as Charles' X-Men. The other group was unknown to him.

Willow had also included that her mother thought they had to have serious emotional problems to be out doing things like that. Willow had wrote that it had sounded to her like the ones in black had been trying to stop the ones in green. Did mutants with strong abilities have the obligation to keep other mutants with strong abilities from using their powers to hurt others or commit theft? She wanted to know his opinions on that whole matter. He was aware that Willow knew the reasons behind his imprisonment, she had mentioned watching much of his trial on C-Span. Few people actually wanted him to talk about his views on mutants place in society. Willow might get a bit more of his views than she had wanted if he wasn't careful. He had started to smile as he read Willow's letter. His mood was much better, even with the thoughts of politics, and mutant abilities.

Then, he read that she was going to go with her parents to San Diego to see her aunt get married. She promised that she would try to send him a postcard from there at the very least, but she probably wouldn't be able to get any new letters from him until after they got back. They were leaving on the seventeenth, and planned to be home on the twenty sixth.

Alone with his thoughts and letters, Erik looked back to the picture in his hand, with a cow draped with lettuce and paper streamers eating a chocolate cake, and smiled.

End part 2

They had finally arrived. They had reached San Diego, and after only a few missed turns, had made it to the house of Emily Stenner, sister to Sheila Rosenberg. It was a large, pretty house with pretty furnishings. They would be staying with her while they were here. Ira and Sheila would have the guest room, and Willow was supposed to stay in the girls room with Crystal and Lillian. As they brought their luggage into the house, Willow found herself hoping that she'd get along with her cousins.

As Sheila and Ira were following Emily to the guest room, Willow looked at the photographs lining the top of a piano. She could see the resemblance to her mother in Emily' face and body shape, but the pictures showed her a woman with an interest in her children's lives that was very different than her own mother. She saw Emily smiling at a tall sandy haired boy receiving a high school diploma. There were ballet pictures of a girl with blond hair, who latter seemed to have acquired red streaks in her hair. Another blond girl seemed to have an interest in motorcycles, as she was in several pictures, beaming at different motorcycles, occasionally smudged with grease and dirt.

Willow was still looking at the pictures when the door burst open and the house was filled with laughter and the sound of fragments of sentences, bits like: did you see, I can't believe..., how could he...

Suddenly, the cheerful noise stopped as the girls spotted Willow by the piano. Crystal and Lillian were looking at Willow. One of them had short blond hair, and was wearing baggy denim shorts and a Harley Davidson crop shirt. The other had red streaked blond hair halfway down her back, and was wearing a light yellow tank top on over an orange and yellow swirled skirt. Willow had no idea which was Lillian and which was Crystal.

"Hi. I'm Willow." She smiled nervously, uncertain of their reaction to her. Did they know she was supposed to share their room? Were they angry about the idea? At least she would have no trouble keeping track of which one she was talking to, as soon as she got the names straight.

"I'm Cris. Nobody calls me Crystal except Mom or people who don't know me." The one with the short hair spoke up. "Lillian and I are supposed to make sure you aren't bored to tears by aunt Berni's wedding. We'll help you take your stuff upstairs to our room." She smiled cheerfully at Willow.

"I hope you brought some comfortable things, we'll have to show you around. There are some cool places to hang out, and the beach is great. We can introduce you to a few people, and make sure you have fun here." The other girl, Lillian spoke as they each grabbed a bag of Willow's. She was left with only her smallest bag to carry as she followed them up the stairs.

The next day, Willow learned that her cousins were morning people. They had her out of bed, and down for breakfast before the parents were even moving. Over breakfast, it was concluded that they had to go shopping and find Willow some things that she could go have fun in, the idea of shopping having come from Willow's confession of not having brought a swim suit.

They attacked the mall as soon as it opened. Willow felt like she was being carried along a powerful water currant, swept along with Cris and Lillian. She was pleasantly surprised by that fact that it was kind of fun to shop with them. They didn't just look for Willow things, and they had no notions of what type of things were her style. They looked at things and debated if they were good colors or not, if the style was good for the face. They looked at things for Willow, and things for themselves. Willow ended up with an armload of new clothing, including a new swimsuit by the time they went back to Emily's house.

Their parents were engaged in a big debate over the merits of having dancing at the wedding reception, not that they could do anything about it anyhow. The girls very quietly took the bags upstairs, and changed to go back out. They didn't want to get caught by the discussion of who could dance, and who would be embarrassed by the dancing at the reception. They slipped back out to meet some of Lillian's friends at a park. Willow was feeling better than she had for well over a month.

There was a group of teens waiting by the time they got to the park. Willow was introduced as their cousin, and she tried to keep all the names straight. One boy was very memorable. Zack had silver piercings in his eyebrows, nose and ears. His hair was blue, as were his eyebrows. His eyes were solid dark blue, with no iris or pupil. Willow tried not to stare. The rest of the group were discussing what type of pizzas to get.

"Something wrong, red?" Zack had caught her looking at him, and was a bit worried. He had known that Cris and Lillian had a cousin coming to visit for their aunts wedding, and had figured they had probably not remembered to tell her she'd be meeting a mutant. It would be best to learn if she had a problem with mutants sooner, rather than later.

Willow blushed crimson at his words. She had been staring, and he had caught her. Now, she was certain everyone was looking at her. It made her a bit nervous. "Ummmm ... Did it hurt to get your eyebrow pierced? Or the ones at the top of your ears because I heard that if you got the cartilage pierced it was painful and could get infected very easily. I didn't mean to stare and does the world look bluish to you with your eyes like that? and I'm babbling now so I'm going to be quiet now." She was certain she had just embarrassed herself in front of everyone.

Zack blinked at her. Everyone else was listening, surprised that she had gotten all that in one breath. They hadn't expected that stream of words, just the normal mumbled apology of someone caught staring at Zack.

"It didn't really hurt to get the eyebrow piercing. It just stung a bit. The ears... it hurt a bit more, but if you go to a good place and keep the piercings clean, there isn't an infection risk. Things do look a bit more blue, and I can see ultraviolet. It's kinda cool. Does it bother you?" Zack wasn't sure what to think about Willow.

"Not really, I mean, it's a bit different, but don't think it's a big deal." Willow was thoughtful. "I don't have a problem with mutants as a whole, just with the one that was in my class and went invisible and then started beating up everyone that ever picked on her. She put several people in the hospital and she could have killed someone... and I'm babbling again. I do that sometimes, like when I talk to people." Willow was blushing again.

It was decided that Willow was welcome to hang out with them, and they teased her a bit about blushing so easily. They got several different pizzas, and made plans to show Willow around the next day. The discussion then turned to dance, and some play that was being rehearsed at a little theatre that several of them were in.

end part 3.

The next day, Willow went with her cousins to meet up with the group and see San Diego. They arrived during a debate over a new computer game, and the fact that it wasn't running right on Brian's computer. Willow smiled, that was something she could contribute on. She jumped in with a question about the games system requirements, and she talked about computers with Brian, Zack, Frank and Charlotta as they walked along the street. Cris and some of the others were debating a few bands, arguing over who had the cutest but out of the current groups. Lillian and two of the others were arguing over exactly what the words were to the chorus of another song, Willow hadn't caught the title of it.

There was a large gathering of people in front of a building that Willow couldn't quite see. They had signs, and some of them were milling around chanting something. Willow got a nervous feeling in her stomach, she had been more nervous of crowds ever since the nightmares had become real in Sunnydale. The group of teens went closer, trying to figure out what was going on.

It was an anti mutant rally. There were signs with things like Die Mutant and Protect the Humans written on them. There were people with signs advocating mutant registry or that they be sent somewhere else. Willow was caught between being terrified, appalled and furious. Then she saw the signs urging the execution of Magneto. She wasn't quite certain what would have happened next, but whatever could have been was averted when one of the crowd caught a good look at Zack.

Some of the crowd broke of and started towards the teens. Willow could see that they were going from a protest group to an angry mob as they approached. Cris grabbed her arm as the group tried to flee, making certain Willow was going with them.

They ran, not quite certain where to go that they would be safe. Most of the group were trying to convince their selves that this was crazy, and the people wouldn't do anything bad. The shouts and threats from the pursuing mob changed their mind. They ended up in a parking lot, with no easy way out. There were hubcaps and scraps of metal by a dumpster. Glass bottles and newspapers were along the walls of the buildings that made two sides of the parking lot. There were several cars parked in the lot.

The only way out appeared to either be over the fence, or back the way they had come from. The mob was approaching. Willow refused to be helplessly terrified again. She was still terrified, but she was going to try to fight. There was a metal pole leaning by the dumpster. It looked like a reinforcement bar of the sort often put into concrete. The bar was slightly heavy, but just about the same length as the quarterstaff she had been using to practice with. Some of the others grabbed a few things also, muttering things about hope we don't get killed, and doctor bills. Cris muttered something about how would she cover up the bruises for the wedding?

As the mob was beginning to come into the parking lot, the back half separated, apparently having found another mutant from the sounds of their shouts. They were going to go after the other person while the first part, now about two dozen, went after Willow and the other teens.

Fortunately, the mob wasn't carrying guns. They had picket signs, and a few of them had picked up some bottles. They were still grown adults, stronger and bigger than the teens they had cornered. It was not going to be pretty.

The teens did far better than they had expected. Lillian was very limber from her dance training, and managed to avoid most of her attacker's blows. Some of them had fought with older siblings, or school bullies. Willow's training with the staff seemed to have stuck quite well, as she not only was able to block the blows of her attackers, but take two of them down entirely. The piece of metal felt light and responsive in her hands. Some of the attackers had decided to stay back and lob bits of trash at the teens, but there wasn't much to throw that would do damage other than some hubcaps.

Not a single bit of thrown metal hit Willow.

Eventually, they managed to drive their attackers away. Lillian was positive that some of the hubcaps had thrown themselves at the mob. With excellent aim, as it turned out. The teens were all shaking, as well as bruised and in a few cases bleeding by the time they made their exit from the parking lot. They went quietly, without fanfare.

Nobody noticed the observer, looking at them from the roof of the northern building. He had finished with his group, some would even live. He had gone to check on Willow and her friends. Sabertooth smiled, the kids had fought well. He did wonder which of them had been responsible for the hubcaps flying at the attackers.

end part 4.

The group of teens were quietly going down the street. It had been decided that downtown was not good today, to they would go to the park and hang out. It sounded safer than a repeat of the mob. There had been a few questions, and it was determined that nobody was seriously injured - or at least, not admitting to it if they were. Willow had told them that she had started taking self defense lessons because her hometown of Sunnydale wasn't particularly safe. Willow still felt like she was being followed, her protector watching over her.

They arrived at the park, and took over a group of tables. They settled on the tables and benches, and tried to relax. Injuries were examined more closely, and clothing inspected to tears, slashes, and permanent stains. Bits of glass were removed from knees and hands. Bruises were compared, and there was a bit of good natured my bruises are bigger than yours debate. Willow glanced over to her left, prompted by some strange feeling.

There was a huge man standing by the oak tree. He had to be over seven feet tall, and he had amazing amounts of rippling muscle. He had long tawny blond hair that hung loose well past his shoulders. Battered, torn jeans and a faded grey shirt along with big dark boots stretched over him. He was definitely intimidating. He wouldn't blend in to any normal crowd, he was to big, and had this air of wildness about him. Oddly, Willow wasn't the least bit afraid of him.

Eventually, the teens separated and returned to their separate homes. There was now concern over how their parents would react to their injuries, and what would they tell them had happened? Willow figured her mother wouldn't even notice her injuries. She had to wonder if aunt Em would.

On the way back to aunt Em's house, Cris noticed the big blond man was walking down the street behind them. She pointed him out to Lillian, who was definitely nervous. Willow heard them whispering about a big scary blond guy, and glanced to see who had them nervous. It was the man from under the oak tree at the park. Nothing happened to them on the trip home.

Charles Xavier had gone to visit Erik. He was politely scanned with a metal detector to make certain he hadn't forgotten to remove any small metal items, and assisted into the plastic wheelchair he had to use while visiting Erik's quarters. He was then told to please follow that guard. To his surprise, the guard was carrying a pair on envelopes.

Charles knew he shouldn't do it. It was wrong, and an invasion of the guards privacy... Very carefully, Charles Xavier touched the guard's mind. He was curious about the envelopes. One came from someone named Oris Rosenberg in a nursing home in California, those came almost one a week, sometimes stretching a bit longer between letters. The other was from a Willow Rosenberg, also in California, those came every week, sometime two a week. Erik Lenscherr had been less depressed since the letters had started arriving, and the people had also sent holiday cards...

Charles Xavier withdrew his mental touch. Who were these people, Oris and Willow Rosenberg? Why did they write to Erik? Why hadn't his old friend and rival ever mentioned them to him? How could he find out without alerting either Erik or this polite guard to his mental snooping?

The retractable hallway, which would connect him to Erik's quarters, extended, distracting Charles from his thoughts. He moved the chair forward, absently thinking that there had to be a better way to make these blasted things.

When he arrived, the first thing he noticed was the picture of a cow eating a cake standing in the remains of some sort of buffet. He was smiling after seeing that. Then he saw Erik, and was shocked at his friend's appearance.

"Erik, you look terrible." The words tumbled out before he could stop them. Internally, Charles winced. His words had been tactless.

Erik looked at him and gave a half smile. He had lost some weight, and his eyes looked bloodshot. He was holding himself stiffly, as if his whole body was either stiff or sore. His complexion wasn't the pale skin of someone that didn't go out, it was pale, with a bit of a greyish cast. He looked terrible.

"I just got back from the last round of medical testing. It's a bit hard on me, considering that I am not as young as I used to be. They have to determine the extent of the cancer, and how much damage it has done. After that, they might be able to determine the chance of my survival." Erik's voice was quiet. He sounded tired.

The guard handed him the envelopes, and received a murmured 'thank you' before leaving. Erik looked old, Charles realized. For the first time, he really looked old.

"Are the tests very tiring?" Xavier wasn't quite certain what he could say. What did you say to your oldest friend and rival when you learned that he was probably dying, and would do so alone in a box, shut away from the world?

"I have suffered worse for less cause. But, I was younger then, and recovered faster. The tests ... are necessary. Unpleasant, but necessary. They have done their best to take proper care of me here." Erik's voice was still calm, a tired calm that made Xavier worry about whether or not his old friend would even try to fight to stay alive, or if he would simply give in to his illness and slip away.

Charles was feeling rather uncomfortable with his thoughts of illness, and possible death. He wanted to change the subject. "Where did you get the picture of a cow eating cake?"

Erik blinked, and smiled. " I suppose that is a story you might want to hear."

end part 5.

In Sunnydale, Xander Harris was looking for Willow. He wanted to talk to her about Tracie, and ask if Willow thought that Tracie would like to go to a carnival with him, since she was a girl and could offer a girl's opinion on the matter. Even if she had yelled at him about Tracie and Buffy, and crushes and slammed his door when she left. It had been wedged so tightly shut it had taken him an hour to get it open again. Xander had no idea how Willow had done that. He'd been avoiding her lately, but he really wanted to talk to her now.

He couldn't find her anywhere. She wasn't at the library, or the computer store, or in the park. School was out for the summer, so she wouldn't be there. Xander decided to go check the Rosenberg house. It was locked, and the car was gone.

He had to talk to Giles. Giles would know where Willow was.

Charles Xavier had returned to his home in a very thoughtful mood. His students and X-Men were used to him being thoughtful after his visits to Magneto. Most of them didn't understand why he went to visit Erik, especially not Marie, the victim of his plot. Surprisingly, Logan seemed to understand his reasoning. It was Logan that asked what was bothering him.

Xavier explained that Erik had cancer. He shared his worries about Erik giving up and allowing himself to die, and his opinion of the total incompetence of the court ordered psychiatrist that was supposed to be visiting Erik. The one that had been to see him only once since his incarceration. He then mentioned that Erik was receiving letters while in prison. Letters from two people in California, a man named Oris Rosenberg that wrote from a nursing home called Rustling Pines, and a person named Willow Rosenberg.

Scott was worried that these people could be dangerous -perhaps the next insidious danger the X-Men would have to face. Jean wondered why these people were writing Magneto - did he have some sort of hold over them? She had been to the town in California that the letters had come from, she reported that the place had 'a strong negative energy,' and that being there had made her head ache and given her this itchy feeling like she was being watched by something bad. Jean had gone to this small town of Sunnydale once. She had hoped to never return there.

It was decided to try some more remote methods of learning who these people were before sending anyone to look into matters first hand. They were also trying to discover the current locations of Magneto's former associates, Toad, Sabertooth, and Mystique. None of them had been captured after the incident at the Statue of Liberty, although they had been positive that Mystique was masquerading as Senator Kelly. Senator Kelley was reported to be considering a presidential campaign. Toad and Sabertooth had disappeared. This sort of loose end was not a good thing.

In Sunnydale, the vampire known as Angel heard the stories of the dangerous being that had claimed a part of Sunnydale. Tall, very muscular, with dark eyes and long blond hair. Killed anything that annoyed him with sharp claws. He felt an ominous chill creep along his spine.

Surely he couldn't still be alive? He had known such a creature long ago, when he had been Angelus. But, that had been over a century ago, surely the mercenary Victor Creed would be long dead.

end part 6.

Cris, Lillian and Willow returned to Aunt Emily's house. Their fathers were in he study, discussing something quietly. It appeared that they had decided not to sit in on the discussion in the kitchen. Emily, Sheila, and their Aunt Diane, the youngest sibling of Sheila and Emily's mother's family, were sitting in the kitchen discussion their relatives. They were talking about where their brothers and sisters lives had gone, what their children were doing. What collages their children were in or planning to attend, and what they were studying, or what their parent thought they should be studying. Stories about past family gatherings were brought out again.

With a rapid exchange of worried looks, the girls managed to go upstairs with out the gossiping women noticing them. Sheila might have missed them, possibly Emily, but nothing gossip-worthy escaped the notice of great aunt Diane. If she had seen the girls, she would have noticed the bruises and cuts, and the interrogation would begin. They would rather not have everyone in the family hearing about how they were cornered by an angry mob. Somehow, it would end up a story about the perils of letting your children out alone, and why kids today need more discipline.

Instead, they went upstairs and quietly began to talk about the boys in their lives, and their possible boyfriends. In Willow's case, that didn't take long. They also painted each other's fingernails, and asked questions about why boys just didn't get it about girls and what they wanted. She had told them about her long time crush on Xander, which she was finally getting over. How he had practiced with her methods of asking Buffy out. How he never realized her feelings, or that she was even a girl except when he wanted to ask her about how to try to pick up other girls. Cris mentioned her own crush on Richard, someone in her history class. She wasn't certain he even knew she was alive, let alone available. She had also had problems about just being one of the guys until none of her friends thought of her as a girl, let alone a possible girlfriend.

Lillian was the only one with happy news, as she was dating Brian, one of their friends that Willow had met. They were happy, and hoped to go to the same local college. They were thinking they might get married and have a family 'with a boy named Trevor and a girl named Brittany, and a golden retriever'. Willow was envious of her happiness, and hoped that she could have her happily after with Brian. She would like to know someone that had a happy ending in their life.

Tomorrow was the wedding, and their Aunt Berni would soon be married. She and her fiancé had planned to take an extended honeymoon in Hawaii. Everyone was hoping that she would be very happy this time, and that her fiancé, Donald, would treat her with care, and build a life with her. Hopefully, they could live happily after, or something like it. He seemed like a fairly nice, normal guy.

Berni's last attempt at dating had been with someone that had not worked out well. She'd met Doctor Nathaniel Essex while on vacation in Atlanta, and they had tried a relationship. He had accompanied her to a family trip when Willow was ten. He'd given her the creeps, along with Cris and Lillian. Bernie was well rid of Nathaniel Essex, his career had always come before everything else with him.

end part 7.

Two days later they were all agreed that it had been a lovely wedding, and the reception had been nice, There had been dancing. Nobody had been injured, although some people had been embarrassed. The chance to dress up had been welcome, and everyone had had a nice time.

Now, Cris, Lillian and Willow were having the frustration of being at the mall with their mothers. The trip was supposed to be a mother daughters bonding experience. Willow privately thought the wedding had reminded her mother that she had a daughter, and the psychiatrist in her had brought forth the rest.

They had looked at things, trying to keep their mother from getting things they would hate. They had had to hold things while their mother's tried on things, and debated over the professionalism of some of the colors. There had been ugly shoes. So far, it had been three hours of misery.

Em and Sheila had finally decided that it was time for lunch. They had bought trays of assorted food, and were converging on the last open table in the mall. Stomachs were growling, and tempers were short. A man in a business suit with a briefcase and cell phone sat down at the last table. He didn't even have a cup of coffee to drink.

Willow was hungry, frustrated, and tired of trying to escape ugly clothing. She wanted to sit down and have something to eat and now this jerk had taken the table so he could open his briefcase and talk on his cell phone! She gave him the glare of immediate death and dismemberment.

With a crackle and hiss, the cell phone died.

The man in his suit looked at it in annoyance. He pushed a few buttons, swearing about it being a stupid piece of junk. He gave up on the phone, packed his papers back in is briefcase, and left.

They swooped down on the table like a conquering army. Or at the least, five hungry females that had spent the morning shopping. Lunch was delicious. The rest of the day went much better, except for Willow's headache. Lillian said that was what she got for giving the glare of death.

There was more shopping, but it didn't seem nearly as painful. They spent money, gathered many bags, and finally went home. There were shoes, and blouses, and pants, and music, and jewelry. Sheila had picked up a few neckties for her husband.

It wasn't until Willow was getting ready for bed that she discover her watch had stopped. It still read 12:34 when it was almost eleven at night.

Erik was reading Opa's latest letter. Things were going fairly well for him, although he missed Willow's weekly visit. She had to go away for her aunt's wedding in San Diego. Willow's parents were trying to convince her to go to law school, but he was fairly certain that Willow didn't want to be a lawyer. She had mentioned maybe something with computers, or something in medicine. Opa hoped that Erik was feeling well, and that he had found out what had been causing those twinges in his legs.

He sighed, feeling a bit guilty. He would have to write his Opa a letter and tell him that he had been diagnosed with cancer. It had been figured that without a bone marrow donor, his chance of survival was very slim, and that was probably only because mutants didn't die as easily that they gave him that slim chance. The harsh fact was that he could probably count his future in months, without a donor. As a further complication, who would be willing to donate something to help Magneto, the mutant terrorist to live?

With a sigh, Erik decided that he'd best ask for a lawyer, so that he could make an official will and have his affairs in order when the time came.

end part 8.

Xander had found Giles, arriving just as Giles and Jenny Calendar were returning from their lunch picnic. He was momentarily stunned by the idea that Giles the librarian had a life outside of books. He made a few confused noises before asking if either of them knew where Willow was. Xander continued by saying that he'd looked all over town for her, and she was gone.

Giles looked at the boy with exasperation. " You have been avoiding Willow for nearly two weeks, for reasons nobody understands. You have left the building if she comes in. You haven't answered or returned her telephone calls. Now, you want to talk to her and you are upset that she isn't waiting for you? Really Xander, sometimes you astound me." Shaking his head, Giles turned to go into his house.

Jenny took a small measure of pity on Xander. "She went with her parents to San Diego for the wedding of one of her relatives. They left about five days ago. What did you want to talk to Willow about anyhow?"

Xander blinked in surprise. Willow had left five days ago? She hadn't told him? Guilt reminded him that he hadn't given her that chance to tell him anything. He had been avoiding her, and hadn't even listened to her messages on the Harris answering machine. He was feeling even more guilty when he realized that he had only wanted to talk to her about Tracie.

"Oh. I guess maybe I have been ignoring her. I really should apologize, huh? Ummm, do either of you ..." Xander's voice trailed of as he remembered who he was talking to. A librarian and a computer teacher. Neither one were in a position to know the mind of a teenage girl. "Never mind. Let me know when Willow gets back, I need to grovel before her in apology for a bit."

Xander slouched slightly as he walked away. He realized that he missed talking to Willow. Hearing her willowy opinions on everything. She had way to many thoughts in her head for Xander to keep track of sometimes. That's why she was getting A's in all her classes and tutoring half the class. Life would be pretty miserable without his best bud to talk to about things.

In a mansion in New York, Charles Xavier was feeling somewhat confused. His people had managed to find some information on the names Oris Rosenberg and Willow Rosenberg. He just wasn't certain what it meant. Oris Rosenberg was a very old man in a nursing home. He could barely walk, was loosing his sight, and had no known mutation or political power. He wasn't a gifted scientist. He could think of no reason why he would be writing letters to Magneto.

Willow Rosenberg was even more of a puzzle to him. From what they had been able to learn, she was the great grand daughter of Oris. She would be starting her junior year of high school in the fall. She was the top of her class academically, and had no criminal record. Not even a late library book. Her medical history was very blandly normal. She wasn't a registered member of any particular political club or organization that would give an explanation why she would be writing letters to Magneto either. She was expected to attend a top university somewhere and do something brilliant with her life. Willow was a nice, quiet Jewish girl.

There had to be something they had missed. There was no explanation for the letter in anything that he or his students had found. People didn't just randomly write letters to prisoners of federal prisons. The only thing he could think of would be to send somebody to California to see if they could find answers there.

end part 9.

Willow's family had finally returned to Sunnydale. She was certain that the air felt different here. She thought the air in Sunnydale felt heavier, burdened by secrets and death. It was familiar. It was home. This was where she was born and had been all her life.

It didn't have to be her future.

She had a feeling, as if she had changed in San Diego. She still could call the Hellmouth home, but it was as if an entire realm of new possibilities had opened before her. She didn't have to live the rest of her life in Sunnydale. She didn't need Sunnydale to be Willow, or to be happy.

She supposed it would be considered growing up.

With a smile, Willow began taking her luggage into the Rosenberg family house. Life was full of possibilities, and all she had to do was decide what she wanted. Well, she would still have to work for it, of course. But she didn't have to live and die in Sunnydale.

Erik Lenscherr watched as the lawyer crossed the tubing into his cell. He wondered what was going through the young man's mind. He looked rather nervous.

"You can relax. I simply wanted to have a lawyer assist me with the making of a will. You might want to have a seat. I have no idea how long this will take."

His voice was apparently surprising to the lawyer, as the younger man jumped. The lawyer did take a seat, and opened a briefcase. He looked slightly ruffled from the security checks any visitors had to go through.

Erik waited for the lawyer to settle himself before he continued. "I have been diagnosed with cancer. My doctor has insisted that if a compatible donor is found, my chances of survival are rather good. Practically speaking, I have few living relatives, and most of them are entirely unaware of any actual relationship. I also know that simply being related doesn't guarantee that a person can be a tissue donor. My reputation as Magneto is such that I am rather unlikely to have somebody wish to donate bone marrow to me anyhow."

The lawyer fidgeted slightly at Erik's words. He looked unhappy with the idea that this man would just sit there, calmly stating that he was dying, and nobody would want to save him. Claiming that even if someone could save his life, they wouldn't want to.

He didn't protest Mr. Lenscherr's reasoning at all.

"It appears likely that I will die. I didn't bring you here to discuss my health. I wanted to make a will. That way, when I die, the only confusion will be what shall happen to my remains, not what will happen to my possessions." Erik sighed, and poured a glass of water for himself. He offered the lawyer one, but he refused.

" I have certain information files. They contain information on scientific research in the fields of genetics and electronics. Upon my death, I want these released to the scientific community. There are other files that are about the activities, past and current of assorted political leaders. Those are to go to the press." Erik paused to smile slightly. " There are some secrets that aren't as secret as they would like."

"I also have some material assets. Bank accounts, property holdings. I wish to leave these to a relative of mine, currently a minor. You are to write this up so that they will go to her, and remain in her possession until such time as she chooses to part with them. Her name is Willow Rosenberg."

Erik's voice continued as he listed the locations of properties and accounts. He listed methods of contacting the keepers of the information files. As he spoke, the lawyer wrote upon a piece of paper, listing things for a long time.

end part 10

There had been two surges of mutant activity in San Diego. They had registered on the Cerebro unit of Professor Charles Xavier. This told him that the mutant that had caused the two incidents would be fairly powerful. Whoever it was, they had best be found before they could get into trouble.

He decided to send some of his people to San Diego to find this new mutant, and try to persuade him or her to return with them to his school. He would also send some people to Sunnydale, to try to learn more about this Willow Rosenberg that wrote to Magneto. It would be best to send some of the older students with his X-Men, in case a teenager would be better able to approach someone than one of his X-Men.

Marie refused to have anything to do with trying to find someone that wrote to Magneto. She seemed to think that if he was dying, good. She had felt violated and used by his plan to use her to power his device. Xavier decided it would be better to send her to San Diego, along with Scott and Jean. They could try to find the powerful new mutant. It would just be easier if the unit had managed to get information on what sort of ability this new mutant possessed.

Ororo and Logan would go to Sunnydale. Jubilee and bobby would go with them, mainly to keep the two pranksters safely away from the mansion for a while. He decided to send Kitty Pryde there as well. Like Erik, Kitty was Jewish, as Willow Rosenberg happened to be. It was possible that whatever connection existed would be discovered by such common ground.

They should be able to keep out of trouble, and defend themselves if it became necessary. Perhaps, if Willow was a mutant, she might be in danger in Sunnydale. If that were so, they would offer their assistance to her.

They would also be prepared to react if Willow turned out to be dangerous.

end part 11.

end Family Tree 7: Views into the Future.

as a note to everyone that might not be entirely familiar with the X-Men: the interesting helmet that the Professor puts on in the movie to search for Marie is called a Cerebro Unit. That is a bit of X-men lore taken from the comics - it even looked fairly close. The device was designed to both amplify telepathic range while in use, and to locate the use of mutant abilities. It was connected to a big computer so it could monitor even when not being actively used.

This was the explanation for how the X-Men could just go find someone to ask to join the team. It was titled that way back in the depths of comic history, before the second team of X-Men were brought forth. The second team was the introduction of Storm, Banshee, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Sunfire. This was sometime in the seventies to judge by the original costumes.

I have no idea why Stan Lee and the other writers of the X-Men decided to give it that name.


	8. FT8: Changing the Path of Fate

Author: Lucinda

Rating: PG13

pairing: no Willow pairing, Xander/Tracie

disclaimer; I do not own anyone from Buffy or the X-Men

distribution: Charity's site, others please ask

Set in AU summer after season 1 Buffy, post X-Men the movie.

======================================

Xander had dreamt last night that he had a life ahead of him devoid of Willow. She had vanished, and he had to stumble on without her. It had been an awkward, painful experience, and had left him determined to keep his friendship with Willow. He had woke up and realized that he had probably come fairly close to driving her away with his behavior.

He intended to find her and grovel a while in abject apology, and hope that Willow still had a bit of mercy and patience for him. How had he been so blind as to not realize how much his avoidance must have hurt her? Buffy and Amy were both gone for the summer, and Jesse was dead. He was all Willow had.

Willow was home! He went to the door, and asked Mrs. Rosenberg if he could visit Willow a bit. Then, he went to Willow's room, mentally reviewing his apology. His carefully planned speech vanished when he saw the large purple bruise on her upper arm. A jagged split ran over the darkest part of the bruise. The tank top she was wearing exposed it completely.

"My God Wills! What happened to your arm? I thought you were only supposed to be gone for a wedding... Was there a big food fight or something at the reception?!" Xander's mouth opened and words just spilled out.

Willow turned, clearly startled. "Xander? You're here! In my room, talking to me." She paused, thinking about something, before returning to returning her clothes into her dresser. "I've never met Tracie, I have no idea if she would like whatever-in-particular. I can't guess about if someone I've never met and if they would like something. Now that you know I can't give you advice about your new girlfriend, I guess you can go back to avoiding me. My arm got hit with a glass bottle. I'm fine, really."

Xander winced. Willow wasn't happy with him. Her words about helping with Tracie rang in his ears, making him feel even guiltier than he had before. After all, he hadn't realized that she was gone until he'd wanted to talk to her about Tracie. Wait a minute, a glass bottle hit her in the arm?!

"Glass bottle... uhh Wills, I am so sorry for avoiding you like I was. It was wrong of me, and I know how you ah... haven't got a lot of friends, so it should have occurred to me that with the Buffster and Amy both gone for the summer and Jesse .. well, Jesse isn't able to hang out anymore, so I guess you were kinda left with just me. I bailed on you and I really, really shouldn't have." Xander started his apology.

"I guess I shouldn't have assumed I was the only person to have a crush on someone that wasn't interested, I mean Jesse had that thing for Cordelia of all people, but what kind of guy has someone like my pal Wills mooning after him and never gets a clue? He'd have to be pretty blind or something... Uh, I'm starting to babble like you now. Okay, back to the point. I'm sorry I was ignoring you, I was an idiot, and I am really, really sorry. Can you ever forgive me?" Xander was pleading with Willow to forgive him, hoping that she could. The alternative was to miserable to accept.

Willow looked at him thoughtfully, her eyes impossible for Xander to read. "I suppose I can forgive you, I missed having my friend. I still can't give you any advice on Tracie, I haven't even met her."

"We were planning on having a picnic tomorrow in the park at about one, you could come with us. Please? You can meet Tracie, and I can have you make sure she'd not some sort of ... uhhh ... Xander-eating monster. She's not a vampire because we've been out in the sunshine, but this is the Hellmouth. You never know...." Xander's voice trailed off as he contemplated the truth of his words.

" I can meet you for a picnic at one. The park with the merry-go-round and the sandbox?" Willow's reply was a reprieve from certain misery to Xander, and he was delighted. He practically danced out of the house.

end part 1.

Angel had been thinking. There were rumors about a dangerous recent arrival in Sunnydale. He was supposed to be around seven feet tall, a tawny mane, dark eyes, claws, and a frightening skill at dismemberment and death.

It sounded like Victor Creed.

Once, over a century ago, when he was still known as Angelus, he had crossed paths with Victor Creed. There had been a nobleman that Darla had wanted to kill, for reasons that she had never bothered to explain to him. The nobleman had apparently known he wasn't well liked, because he had been traveling with a very large bodyguard. That bodyguard had been Victor Creed. Darla had sent him to distract and take out the bodyguard while she seduced and drained the nobleman in question.

He had attacked the large man, confident that because he had a clear heartbeat, there would be no difficulty. After all, he was a vampire, with strength and speed beyond that of any human. Victor Creed had been faster, and had sharp claws on the ends of his fingers. Angelus had been left on the floor in a pool of his own blood, nearly eviscerated by the other. He hadn't been capable of anything more than twitching in pain. Darla hadn't fared much better, as the big man had found her while she was still in the first part of her plan. She had been very injured as well, and had suffered several broken bones.

You could say that Victor Creed had been a memorable person.

Careful investigation had revealed that the man had been a mercenary for about ten years, choosing his jobs and only taking those he wanted. Nobody had heard of him ever being injured enough to be unable to do his work. He had also been hired on a few occasions to assassinate somebody. Normally, he would only serve as a bodyguard to someone that had a minimum of three people wanting them dead. He was a brutal fighter, and an effective killer.

He might be in Sunnydale. Angel was very disturbed by the idea. Vampires and demons were to be expected, but Creed was something else. He would have to go try to learn if this really was Victor Creed or some other seven foot blond cause of terror and destruction.

There was also something bothering him about the area that this person had essentially claimed. Beyond the fact that it was largely a residential area, there was something else.. He would have to look at a Sunnydale map and mark the area to get a better idea. In the meantime, he'd best go lurking to try to learn if it was really Creed.

Several hours later, Angel was almost feeling bored. Sunnydale was pretty quiet, and that would normally be a good thing. However, the fact that this area of Sunnydale was noticeably quieter in the area of demons and vampires was enough to keep him alert. Vampires didn't avoid somewhere without a good reason.

Then, he saw the group of fledgling vampires. There were about five of them, and the oldest couldn't have been more than five years dead. He would just have to follow them and see what happened. They were whispering among themselves, if he could just hear what they were saying...

"We take this guy down and the Master is gonna be so pleased with us." The speaker seemed to be the leader of the group.

"This dude is supposed to be very big and fast, Bill. Are you sure that we can take him?" The smallest of them seemed nervous.

" Stop whining! That's why there are five of us...." A dark haired vampire in a football jersey replied.

Young and overconfident, Angel thought. They were a pack of idiots. This would probably be a demonstration of why stupid vampires died young. He was hoping that he could watch undetected. If it was Creed, he had to warn Giles.

There was a large shape down the street. A man, long hair, very big and muscular. The pack charged after him, reminding Angel of a pack of feral dogs. He lurked in the shadows, watching.

The moon illuminated the fight clearly to Angel's superior night vision. It was indeed Victor Creed, though his clothing had changed a lot since he had seen him before. He didn't look any older. Angel watched as Victor Creed tore the pack of fledglings apart. Literally.

Victor Creed was alive, and in Sunnydale. The passing century didn't seem to have aged him, and if anything his movements in a fight were faster, more feral than they had been a century ago.

end part 2.

Giles was looking through his books. He had been attacked by a vampire earlier. The vampire had appeared to be a normal parson, running away from something. He had actually collided with Giles, and muttered something about a giant crocodile with tentacles. The, realizing that the person he had collided with was alive, the vampire had tried to have Giles as dinner. Fortunately, Giles had been prepared for vampires, and had managed to stake his attacker.

He thought the description of a giant, tentacled crocodile sounded familiar. There had been a picture in one of his big books of demons that had looked much like that, if he could only find the book. Giles was thoughtful, trying to assemble as many clues as he could from his encounter. The vampire had smelled like the sewers, so he had probably encountered the creature in the sewer tunnels under Sunnydale. Whatever it was, it had terrified the vampire, which told Giles that it was something big and quite frightening. Vampires didn't scare easily.

Ah, here it was, an Ik'Tarin demon. The picture showed what looked rather like a crocodile with two pairs of tentacles ending in hooked pads growing along the ribcage, between the sets of legs. It was a quadruped, unable to walk upright. It was highly carnivorous, and they ranged in size from twelve to thirty feet in length, depending on age and availability of food. Food meant anything that couldn't escape - fish, game animals, crocodiles, people, demons... almost anything. They were originally from the middle east, and lived in rivers and along streams. It could be killed by simple dismemberment or infliction of severe wounds, requiring no special means of death. This was made more difficult by the thick, leathery hide covering most of its body. The good news was that they were only of animal intelligence.

The sewers of Sunnydale would be an ideal habitat for one of these. They were humid, had side passages to hide in, and with the number of vampires and demons that used the sewers as a means of travel, there was even a built in food supply.

Giles almost missed the part where it mentioned the poison in the tentacle hooks. There was a complex toxin that coated the hooks on the tentacle pads. When it entered the bloodstream, it caused a painful burning sensation, often followed by a high fever. It delayed reaction times, and increase muscle fatigue. If the victim was capable of escaping the Ik'Tarin, the toxin delayed healing, normally causing the person to die anyhow. The Ik'Tarin was not particularly fast over the ground, but it was very strong, and could follow a scent trail.

Willow had promised to meet Xander and Tracie in the park at one for a picnic. That meant she should get her run over with early, so she could shower and change with plenty of time before she had to be there. Which was why she was in the park this morning. The morning was almost cool, and the grass was slick with dew. She could feel the presence of her protector.

After a while, Willow paused in her run to retie her shoelaces. While she was doing that, she glanced in the direction she thought her protector was, curious as to who she would see. The large man with the blond hair was standing by one of the trees. He looked the same as he had in San Diego. Smiling slightly, Willow continued her run.

Later, she met Xander and Tracie for lunch. Tracie was about Willow's height, with hazel eyes and dark reddish brown hair. She was very pretty, and seemed to like Xander. She had chatted pleasantly with Willow. She learned that Tracie had lost her parents to an accident, and was the ward of her aunt Raven.

Willow had the oddest feeling that Tracie, pretty and friendly as she seemed, was hiding something. She just hoped that whatever it was, Xander wouldn't get hurt because of it.

end part 3.

Willow was sitting on her bed, wondering what she had done to merit her very own bodyguard. She had someone out there who was following her with the intent to keep her safe. Not to keep people in general safe, like Buffy, but specifically her. It was an odd thought, but rather pleasant. There was someone that would follow her and keep her safe from giant, frog-like demons.

"Willow? Could you go pick up a couple books of stamps for me? Somehow we ran out, and I need some stamps to send theses bills in." Her mother's voice brought Willow out of her thoughts.

Out of stamps? She had been positive that there had been one left in the book after her letter to Erik. Why hadn't someone noticed that earlier? The post office would be closed now, although it was still to early for vampires. She would have to go to the grocery store, it carried stamps. Just to be safe, she picked up a bottle with holy water, and a wooden stake before she left.

Willow began walking across town to the grocery store. The evening was hot, and rather humid. The sounds of insects filled the air, with a few sounds of people going about their lives. Most people seemed to be staying inside to avoid the heat. Her trip to the store was uneventful, and the air conditioning inside a slight shock as she stepped inside. After buying two books of stamps, Willow left the store.

She was about half of the way home when she heard the noise. It was a metallic scraping, the sound of a manhole being uncovered. The street had been empty; there was no construction going on. The opening of the manhole had to be by something from the sewers, probably something bad. There was a snarling roar, and Willow turned to see what in the world was going on.

Something that looked like a large crocodile with tentacles was half emerged from the manhole. Her protector had leapt at it and was currently trying to rip it apart with sharp claws. Both were growling, as they struggled. The crocodile thing was trying to pull him close with it's tentacles, and they had left patches where his shirt and skin had been torn away. His claws had left long slashes into the tentacles, and thick blood was oozing from them.

Willow was horrified by the scene. She couldn't let some tentacled crocodile eat her protector! There had to be something that she could do... The manhole cover suddenly flung itself across the section of pavement, striking the tentacled thing in the throat. Her protector used the thing's shock to lunge forward and make a deep slashing attack to the back of the monster's neck. With a bellow and twitch, it collapsed, sliding back inside the sewers. Her protector stood there, bleeding from terrible looking wounds and trembling slightly. He swayed a bit, and collapsed.

With a gasp, Willow darted forward to catch him. She barely managed to keep him from slamming his head into the pavement. His weight was more than she had expected, and she sank to her knees with a thump. She struggled slightly to regain her feet, and hauled him home with her. She could put him in the basement and help him recover.

end part 4.

note: the arrival of the X-Men takes place roughly concurrent with part 3. it is presented separately for ease of following the story.

Ororo Munroe shivered slightly as they departed from the plane. She and Logan were here in Sunnydale, along with Kitty, Bobby, and Jubilation to try to learn about Willow Rosenberg. The air was hot, and a bit humid. There was something slightly off about this place, she could feel it permeating the atmosphere. She just had no idea what it was.

They collected their baggage and managed to rent a van and find a tolerable hotel. For some reason, there were small crosses on the wall beside the doors of their rooms. They had been painted over, now matching the walls, but they were there. She wondered why in the world they were there? Were the people running this hotel afraid of vampires? Everyone knew that such things were only in movies and stories... right?

The teens left, eager to see what there was to do in this town. To see where other people there age went and maybe have a bit of fun. With luck, they would find this Willow, and everything would be simple.

Logan wasn't happy with the situation. He kept muttering about the town not smelling right. He insisted that the place was dangerous. More ominous, he smelled Sabertooth. The dangerous mutant had been all over Sunnydale, and Logan was positive he was still in the area. He made a phone call to tell Xavier about that development.

Several days later, they still hadn't found Willow. Logan had scented Sabertooth again, but they hadn't encountered him. Oddly, they had noticed that Sunnydale had a great many churches and cemeteries for a town this size. Kitty had found a temple, and was hoping that she might learn something about Willow that way.

Willow was concerned. She had managed to get her protector, who was extremely large and heavy, back home with her, and into the basement. She had managed to put him on an old mattress. Willow had gone upstairs to get some peroxide and bandages to help patch him up. The wounds were still oozing blood, and he was starting to get a fever.

There wasn't anything more she could do without knowing if there was some sort of poison in the demon's tentacles. She decided to go to the library and try to find the thing in Giles' books. There had to be something she could do to help. She just hoped she could find it in time.

end part 5.

Willow was worried now. Her protector had been injured by the tentacled crocodile thing when he prevented it from attacking her. Right now, he was lying in her basement, bandages over his still seeping wounds, and he had developed a fever. She was absolutely certain that he should be healing faster, at the very least, the wounds should have stopped seeping. The only thing Willow could think of was that this had to be some sort of reaction from the monster. Either he was allergic to it, or it had some sort of poison or healing delay effect.

Because of that, Willow was positive that she had to go look up the thing in one of the books of demons in the library. Fortunately, she had made a copy of the school key, as well as one to the library itself. There had to be information on the thing, and something about how to treat someone attacked by it. The alternative was unthinkable.

Willow slipped into the school, discovering that the school door closest to the library was already unlocked. The library also was unlocked, and when she carefully peeked into the window, she could see Giles moving in his office. Willow tried to be as quiet as possible slipping into the library so that she could search the shelves of demon books. She knew where to look from the dozens of research sessions that she had attended to help Buffy identify the evil things she had to fight.

She pulled a thick book labeled 'McCoren's Demonology: A Compendium of Demons' and sat down with her flashlight to start flipping pages. She was fairly certain that this one had illustrations for most of the demons it listed. That usually made it easier to find something.

Willow was still hidden in the stacks flipping through McCorren's when Angel entered the library. She didn't see him walk into Giles office, right behind the worried Englishman and speak, startling Giles in the process. "We have a problem."

"Aaackk! Don't do that!" Giles yelped in surprise. "What could possibly be a bigger problem than the probable presence of an Ik'Tarin demon in the Sunnydale sewer system? honestly, I swear you delight in scaring me." He continued in a slightly calmer voice, unaware that his exclamation had caught the attention of Willow.

Willow had just turned the page to the listing of a species called Darrakk Holmesh. The illustration was of a humanoid female, with solid pale eyes and a clearly visible pattern of scales over her body. She was drawn naked, and the side note said that the species were blue scaled in their natural form and capable of limited metamorphic abilities, permitting them to mimic humans. Being so startled at Giles' exclamation made her look at it a bit longer than she otherwise would have, as it was clearly not the thing from the sewer.

What had Giles said was in there? Something like iktar... No, that wasn't quite right. She decided to listen as much as she could to whatever Angel had to say to Giles. She could continue flipping the pages and looking for a tentacled crocodile while listening.

"Our problem could very well be bigger than an Ik'Tarin in the sewers. More dangerous at least." Angel's voice sounded worried, a change from his usual cryptic. In the stacks, Willow frowned. Why was Angel worried?

"Something more dangerous than an Ik'Tarin. Lovely. What on earth would that be, and how long have you known about it?" Giles sounded tired and a bit cranky. Obviously, he had been staring at his books for some time.

"Victor Creed. He's in Sunnydale. I wasn't positive until last night. I had heard at Willies that there was a large person with claws. He had recently arrived in Sunnydale, and the demons were terrified of him. It reminded me of Creed, and I decided to try and find out if it was him." Angel replied to Giles question, not quite explaining why he was so worried.

"Who or what is this Victor Creed, and how are you familiar with the name?" Giles, always after the details, no matter how unpleasant.

"A bit over a century ago when I was still with Darla, there was a widely known mercenary named Victor Creed. He did bodyguard work, occasional deliveries of highly important small items, and occasional assassinations. He was the bodyguard for a nobleman that Darla wanted to kill." Angel was brooding again. It showed in his voice.

"Surely after a century, this mercenary would be dead. Even so, the fact that he probably was upset that you and Darla... hmm Angelus and Darla killed his employer" Giles started to venture an opinion.

"We didn't kill his employer." Angel's voice interrupted Giles. " As it turned out, he came very close to killing myself and Darla. I can assure you, I will never forget the face of someone that nearly gutted me. I followed a group of fledglings last night. They were looking for somebody. They went down Maple Street, and he was there. Giles, it was Creed, I recognized his face. He tore the fledglings apart with his claws. They didn't stand a chance. Creed is very dangerous. What we need to figure out is why is he in Sunnydale."

Willow frowned. Maple Street was only a few streets away from her house. Angel was saying that this dangerous individual had been there, killed an entire group of vampires, and disappeared. Giles was busy trying to get Angel to describe this Creed, and their voices had gone quiet enough that she couldn't hear them. She turned back to her book.

Willow did find the crocodile-tentacle thing. It was called an Ik'Tarin. Definitely the thing Giles had been worried about. She read about the poison in the tentacle hooks, and looked to see if there was a treatment, some sort of antidote. What she found was less than encouraging. The only treatment was wait it out, and hope the Ik'Tarin didn't follow the scent back to your camp. On the bright side, she didn't have to worry about it coming after them.

She carefully got up, discovering that her legs had fallen asleep. Giles and Angel had left, making her exit much easier. There was a paper left out on the table, and Willow paused before deciding to look at it. It was a sketch of a man, sharp teeth bared in a feral snarl, a mane of long hair about his face. The bottom read Victor Creed. Willow had no difficulty at all in recognizing her protector.

end part 6.

==========================

Kitty Pryde had left Jubilee and Bobby debating the limited range of activities that Sunnydale seemed to offer. They were still at the hotel, and she doubted that they had even noticed that she was gone. Kitty had something more important to do than listen to them. She was going to the Synagogue.

She was a bit surprised at the fact that it was so elaborate. Clearly, a great deal of effort and money had been put into both the construction and maintenance of the synagogue in Sunnydale. The group of people wasn't that large, but it was a decent number for a town this size. A group of fairly strong looking men were helping in a very old man, clearly well thought-of by the assembly here. She heard him referred to as Elder Rosenberg, or Oris. She figured that he seemed fairly harmless. He certainly wasn't in any shape to be a physical danger to anyone.

There weren't very many teenagers. It looked like most of them felt that they were to 'cool' to go, or some other typical thing. Personally, Kitty figured that she could use all the help she could get, so she tried to keep fairly kosher. One of the few teens was a girl about her age with bright red hair. She called the old man Opa, and Kitty managed to hear him call her Willow.

It might be easier to learn about Willow now that they knew what she looked like. Willow did seem to be a bit preoccupied with something. Kitty was curious as to what could be worrying Willow.

Willow returned home after synagogue. Her father had gone, but her mother had been to busy working on a paper. She immediately went down to the basement to check on Victor Creed, her protector. His wounds were finally starting to heal a bit, and his fever was a bit lower. If he was still improving, she'd be able to go visit Opa in the morning.

When morning came, Willow checked on Victor again. His fever was a little lower than before, and the wounds were showing improvement when she changed the bandages. He still hadn't really woke up. She hoped he would be okay while she visited Opa.

She greeted Eileen, and went to see her Opa. He had a new letter from Erik, and looked very worried about something. "Opa? What's wrong?"

"I received a letter from Erik a few days ago. He wrote that he was having pains in his legs, and had gone to see a doctor about it. Erik didn't say exactly what was wrong, but he mentioned having a lawyer come so that he could make a will, in case something happened." Opa sounded worried, certain that Erik was hiding something about his condition.

Willow agreed. She felt that she had come to know Erik fairly well, and he didn't seem like the type of person to simply call in someone to make a will. There had to be a reason he was worried about what would happen if he were to die. Willow was a bit curious what this reason would be, and why he hadn't said anything about it.

Maybe she would just have to find out what was wrong with him.

end part 7.

Willow had returned from her visit with Opa. She was worried now, trying to figure out what could be wrong with Erik. The only things she had to go on was that he had mentioned pains in his legs, and she and Opa both thought it must be something serious, possibly life threatening if he was making a will. Fortunately, he had included the name of the doctor he had seen in his letter to Opa.

Willow's old computer had been moved into the basement 'until we can figure out something to do with it'. It had been there almost a year now, and was collecting dust. Willow figured she could plug the computer in, hook it to the phone line, and hack into Erik's medical records. In the meantime, she would be down here, where she could notice any serious changes in Victor's condition.

She checked one of his wounds, to see if it was healing properly. his fever was still dropping, which was a good sign. It would be better if she actually knew what his starting body temperature was supposed to be, but Willow could only work with what she had. She managed to get him to swallow some watered down Gatorade, figuring he needed the fluids. He was still terribly battered, with purple bruises on his arms, and around all his torn flesh, but he was starting to heal.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Kitty Pryde was also setting her computer up. One of the things she regularly did was check some of the anti mutant websites, just in case they had information that the X-Men could use to help some of the mutants that might otherwise be in trouble from these groups. There was a nasty group in San Diego that had a well organized website, that might be very useful for Jean and Scott, since they were supposed to be trying to find the source of the mutant signature that had been spotted in that city.

After setting up everything she needed, Kitty found the San Diego Humans First website. She scrolled down to the bottom, and saw that there had been a rally in San Diego last week, and they had pictures. There was also a few pictures of a group of teenagers, labeled as mutants and their brainwashed supporters. There was a boy that had blue hair and the definite look of a non-conformist. One of the other people in the group was Willow Rosenberg.

She called Jean's cell phone to advise her to be on the lookout for a guy about seventeen, maybe eighteen with blue hair and an eyebrow piercing. He was clearly a visible mutant, she could tell that from the picture. He could be in serious danger, considering that his picture was on that website. They also had no idea if he had any mutant abilities that could help him if cornered by an angry mob.

Maybe she could find some useful information on this town by looking into some of the town's historical records, and maps.

On the other side of town, Willow had finally broken the security on the records of Dr. Robert Hause. His files were neatly organized, and easy to search through. She opened the one marked Lenscherr, Erik M. and began to look at the contents. There were a recent battery of tests, and Willow had a bad feeling about them. She went to the results, and two words jumped out at her. Cancer. Fatality.

Willow gasped in shock and denial. Erik couldn't die. She wouldn't let him. The computer suddenly pinged, and the screen went black.

end part 8.

========================

Kitty wasn't certain what to do now. She had discovered that Willow had her picture on the San Diego human's First website, and therefore, had been in San Diego when the pulses of mutant activity had occurred. Logan was still convinced that Sabertooth was lurking somewhere in Sunnydale. Ororo 'felt a disturbance in the force' that she couldn't explain. She was positive that this was more than they had been prepared for. She decided to call the Professor, and ask him for some advice on what to do now.

After she had called the Professor, and explained everything so far, she asked him if he had any suggestions. She listened carefully. Xavier suggested that they not try to seek out Sabertooth, if in fact he was in the area. However, as Sabertooth was highly dangerous, they all needed to be careful. He recommended that nobody, with the possible exception of Logan go out alone, especially not where Sabertooth might find them.

Then, he explained to her that he had learned a bit more about Erik's condition. His cancer would be fatal unless a compatible donor were found fairly soon. Xavier had hopes that Willow might actually be genetically compatible enough to donate bone marrow. He also suspected that Erik might have concealed his condition, or at least he extent of it, from Willow. If Willow was reluctant to speak with them, they might have to use that knowledge of Erik's medical health as a reason for her to speak to them. She might be reluctant to speak to strangers, especially since she was now on that website. She could be in serious danger from anti mutant extremists.

In his plastic cell, Erik was looking at his letters. Through them, he had rediscovered his grandfather, and befriended his cousin Willow. He would have to find a way to tell Willow about his cancer, she deserved to know what was going on. That would actually be kinder to her than his letters just stopping, with no explanation as to why.

She was a brilliant young woman. He hoped that she had a shining future ahead of her, filled with happiness and success at whatever she chose to do with her life. Sabertooth would keep her safe, he had yet to encounter or hear of anything capable of keeping the feral mutant down.

=======================

Willow was sitting in her basement. Her protector was still asleep on a mattress off to the side, an old blanket thrown over him. She was trying to figure out why the old computer had died. True, it had been sitting down here for a while, but if that were to blame, there would have been some difficulty starting the computer. It had been securely plugged in, so the cord hadn't just fallen out. Opening the case, she couldn't see any defects in the parts. The computer refused to restart. She was baffled as to what had caused the computer to fail her.

The computer had died right after she had found Erik's medical file. He had cancer in his legs. The doctor thought that without a compatible marrow donor, his estimated survival would be measured in months. He would die. That idea was very upsetting to Willow. She wasn't close to very many of her relatives. She liked Erik, and didn't want him to slowly die, eaten away by cancer.

She was trying to figure out why he hadn't told her when she heard movement from the side. Glancing towards the noise, she could see that Victor Creed was stirring. He was starting to wake up after his long fever. Willow was pleased by that. She moved over closer, deliberately making a bit of noise.

"Hey, I see you're waking up some. I have some water for you. You've lost a lot of blood. You sorta fell over after you killed the Ik'Tarin demon, the big tentacled crocodile thing. I brought you here to my basement to help you get better." She tried to sound soothing.

Her guest looked at her, blinking slightly. Willow was fairly certain that he was still going over where he had been, and the fact that he was now elsewhere, trying to get everything straight in his mind. She handed him some water, which he drank. He reached for one of the patches of bandage on his stomach and stopped, looking at the still prominent bruise. He was frowning now, clearly thinking something wasn't right.

"There was a toxin that was released from the hooks on the tentacles. It made you have a fever, and it slows the healing down. The book said that it should wear off after a while, but ... ummm, your injuries have only recently clotted, and I'm afraid that if you pull the bandages, the wound will start bleeding again. The nasty is dead now. You severed its spine with your claws." Willow paused, and gave him some more water.

"I guess you've been in town for a while. I felt someone following me about the time the evil giant frog showed up. I saw you in San Diego, and again here in the park, so I figured that you were the person following me and keeping me safe from the nasty things in Sunnydale. Why were you here following me? not that I'm complaining or anything, you've saved me at least twice that I know of, and I like not getting eaten by nasty things with slime - why do so many evil things have slime anyhow? and I'm babbling now. sorry." Willow was blushing a bit, ducking her head forward so that her hair fell in front of her face, concealing her expression.

"Magneto." His voice was raspier than usual. He swallowed some more water and tried again. "He wanted you safe. Sent me to protect you."

Willow sat back a bit and thought about his words. "Cousin Erik sent you? I suppose he has some reason to think Sunnydale isn't very safe... I did write to him about the nightmares becoming real and the invisible girl."

"There are vampires here." He spoke again.

"Yes, there are. I'm pretty sure I hadn't mentioned that in any of my letters.... Most people are certain that vampires aren't real." Willow was still thinking. "Oh! You must be Sabertooth. I remember that Erik wrote about you in his letters, he said he met you in a forest, and you had been very upset by something and he thought that somebody had done something very terrible to you, although he didn't say what he thought that might be. He said he trusted you to keep him safe, and he was a bit worried what might happen to you while he had to be in prison."

Sabertooth blinked, feeling very surprised and pleased. Magneto had wrote about him, had told Willow he trusted him. She wasn't afraid of him, and seemed to be trying to help him get better. He wasn't used to being injured, he had decided that he didn't like it.

"Angel said that he met you once a long time ago, I accidentally overheard him trying to tell Giles that you were the next big danger threatening Sunnydale, well actually he said the big danger was Victor Creed, and he had drawn a picture, but I looked at it and it was you, so I guess that means you must be Victor Creed... I'm babbling again. I do that." Willow was speaking again.

"Angel? Victor Creed...I don't remember." He was thoughtful. He knew that he couldn't remember from before Magneto had found him. The name sounded right, like it fit him.

"Angel's a vampire, but he's not evil, not right now anyhow. He used to be, long ago, and he had a relapse, but that was before he went to Hell, and umm, babbling again. Angel met you about a century ago when he was evil, apparently you were being a bodyguard for somebody that Angel and Darla wanted to kill and they tried but you stopped them, and Angel was all worried and brooding." Willow tried to explain for him.

"I don't remember things from before Magneto found me. Sometimes, there will be something I think I should know, or dreams... I don't know who I used to be. I know what I have become. I am dangerous. I've killed people, and it didn't make me feel much of anything." He was fidgeting with the frayed edge of the blanket covering him. He didn't want Willow to throw him out. It mattered how she felt, he just wasn't sure why.

"You are the person who saved me. You are the person Erik trusted to keep him safe, and then to keep me safe. You killed the sewer monster and the evil giant frog. I guess, you must be a mutant. Erik thing you are, and it would explain the claws. We may not find your past." Willow's voice was firm, accepting no argument. "I want to make sure you get better, have more water. You are not allowed to brood over keeping me or Erik safe, or fret over your missing memories right now."

Willow disappeared for a short time, returning with food for him, and a sandwich for herself. After watching him eat, and giving him plenty of water and some juice, she was glaring at the dead computer again.

"Erik isn't well." Her voice was only a little above a whisper. " He wrote to Opa and said he had some pain in his legs, but he didn't say why. He also had someone come in so he could make a will."

This was disturbing news. He sat up, wincing a bit as his injuries pulled with the motion. "Sick?"

" We didn't know what was wrong...so I hacked into the computer files of the doctor that visited at the prison to give him a check-up and some tests." Willow frowned a bit, thinking of the results. "He has cancer. I don't know if the doctor told him, but the file said there were tests... and Erik has cancer. He's going to die in a few months unless..." Willow's voice trailed off, her expression one of too many thoughts.

They both sat there a while, worried about Magneto.

end part 10.

Charles Xavier was still the only regular visitor for the mutant known as Magneto. Unsettlingly, he heard the guards speculating about why their prisoner had wanted a lawyer. They hadn't been mistreating him, as far as they knew, he hadn't had any problems with the doctor... but he had requested a lawyer.

He went to speak to Erik, still wondering about that.

After a few games of chess and some polite discussion about the weather, he decided to ask him.

"You had a lawyer visit? Were you perhaps considering an appeal?" He tried to keep his tone light.

"No, Charles. I wanted to make my final will. It will be much simpler for everyone if the only questions after my death are regarding the disposal of my body and debate of my motivations and ulterior goals. My assets have been listed, and their destination have been both written down by the lawyer and recorded by the listening devices in my cell. I believe that was a court ordered precaution."

In Sunnydale, the group of Xavier's students were trying to decide what the best way to find Willow Rosenberg would be. They had concluded that Logan couldn't just follow his nose, he didn't know her scent. She hadn't been in the various teen hangouts. The only one to have actually seen her was Kitty, and that had been at the synagogue.

It was Jubilee that made the obvious comment. "I think we have missed the easy way. How many Rosenbergs can there be in Sunnydale? Let's just use the phone book and start checking out Rosenberg addresses. One of them should be her house."

At the same time, in another part of town, Tracie Roberts was getting ready for her date with Xander. They had made plans to go to the beach. She looked up at her mirror, where a picture of her and Xander smiling at the camera was tucked into the edge of the frame. Concentrating on getting all the details, she focused on the picture.

Her golden eyes became hazel, her hair grew a bit longer with a hint of curl, and her skin changed from blue scales to fair with freckles. Now that she looked human, Tracie had a date.

end part 11.

End Family Tree 8: Changing the Path of Fate.


	9. FT9: To the Rescue

FT9: To the Rescue   
  
  
  
author: Lucinda  
  
rating: pg 13  
  
no Willow pairing  
  
disclaimer: nobody from Marvel or BtVS belongs to me.  
  
distribution: If I have given you permission for something else, go ahead. If not, please ask first.  
  
note: Remember, this is summer break after season 1 Buffy, & post X-Men themovie. Buffy is away for the summer with her dad in LA.  
  
  
  
  
  
Eventually, Willow and Sabertooth had moved up out of the basement. There is only so long that two people can sit in the basement, thinking depressed and morbid thoughts. Which was why they had carefully made their way up the stairs. Willow's parents had left, so the house was theirs. Besides, Victor was very hungry, and the basement wasn't exactly stocked with food.  
  
They had gone upstairs, and learned that her parents had left the television on. Willow began searching for something more interesting than the Florida hurricane watches. Victor went into the kitchen trying to find something good to eat. After a thorough search that had rattled cupboard doors, he came to the conclusion that he was probably out of luck. Nothing but bread, and some canned fruit and vegetables. Then, hearing a commercial, a thought occured to him.  
  
"Red? Let's order pizza."  
  
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, the group of people sent by Charles Xavier to locate Willow Rosenberg started out from their hotel. They were armed with a listing of Rosenbergs from the phone book and a map of Sunnydale. Somewhere in this town was a teen, about the same age as the three students, and for some reason, she was writing letters to Magneto.  
  
After some debate as to what they should do, the group of X-Men found themselves wandering around Sunnydale. They were supposed to be looking for Willow Rosenberg, and since Kitty was the only one to have actually seen her, she had insisted on going. Logan had wanted to go searching for Sabertooth. Ororo had just wanted out of the hotel, and so they found themselves walking around the town, hoping to find one of the two people they were looking for by pure chance.  
  
As a plan, it was terrible. The only advantage it had was they were out of the hotel, and they were all together so none of them could get picked of by danger. It had rained that day, so the streets were damp, with puddles here and there. The old scents had been washed from the air, so only new scents would be able to be tracked.  
  
They were staying together, alert for danger as they searched the town. Suddenly, Logan halted, a low growl coming from his throat. He was looking down the street to a brown house, with lights on in the downstairs. He looked... dangerous.  
  
"I smell Sabertooth." His voice was a harsh growl, as if the scent of Sabertooth put him on edge immediately.  
  
Everyone was alarmed by these words. Storm remembered the large mutant lifting her up, his claws digging into her throat, a low voice telling her to scream for him as she struggled to draw breath. The others had not met Sabertooth, but they had seen pictures. He had looked terrifying, huge and shaggy and feral.  
  
Carefully, they moved towards the house. They paused and glanced in through the large front window. What they saw chilled them to the bones. Sabertooth stood there in the living room facing away from them, big and fierce looking, one arm out stretched, claws spread. Sitting on the couch was a small seeming redhead that Kitty recognized as Willow Rosenberg. Willow was looking disturbed about something, but they couldn't tell what she was saying.  
  
Concerned that Sabertooth was threatening her with assorted dismemberment and harm, Logan and Storm moved rapidly towards the back of the house, hoping for a rear entrance. Bobby, Kitty and Jubilee were left at the front door, the idea being to move in from both sides, catching Sabertooth in the middle and neutralizing him. It was not an idea that had been recieved with confidence by the teens.  
  
Carefully, Storm opened the kitchen door, the fact that it had been locked slowing her down slightly. It swung open soundlessly, and they carefully moved towards the living room. The sounds of something about animatronics and computer animation came to them, aparently from the television.  
  
Logan charged into the living room with a snarl, pouncing onto Sabertooth, knocking him to the floor. They pair of them were on the floor, growling, Wolverine's silver claws flashing as he tried to get Sabertooth. The coffee table had been kicked over, spilling magazines over the floor, sending the televison remote skittering under a chair. The front door cautiously opened, and the students could see the thrashing mutants on the floor.  
  
Suddenly, Sabertooth punched Wolverine in the face, the force of it knocking him away, leaving him stunned. Sabertooth was on his feet in an instant, and with a final snarl, he grabbed Willow and bolted out the door, scattering the three younger students as he charged through the doorway.  
  
"Ummm I think we missed something here." Kitty summarized the situation in a few short words, as everyone stood in shock. Jubilee watched as Sabertooth charged down the street, running very fast and carrying Willow over his shoulder. Everyone else was watching as Logan picked himself up from the ground, shaking his head slightly.  
  
end part 1.  
  
"What just happened here? Isn't Sabertooth one of the bad guys? Does that mean that he just kidnapped Willow? Why would he kidnap Willow? Shouldn't we go after him in that case?" Kitty was rather unsettled by what had just happened.  
  
After a few moments of standing in the living room, feeling incredibly confused by the unexpected departure of Sabertooth and Willow, the group of them left the house. Logan was positive that he could track the two of them, so that they could find them. It was looking as if there were more and more questions about Willow Rosenberg.  
  
Logan had no difficulty following the scent, so they started to move down the street. The rest of the group was trying to make some sense out of the situation. Sabertooth had certainly looked like he had been threatening Willow. But.. if that was the case, why had he taken her with him? What could have been going on there if it wasn't Sabertooth threatening Willow? How did Willow know Sabertooth, and why was he in this town anyhow?  
  
They were moving down the street, towards what looked like a park. Was there a reason why Sabertooth had gone this way? Was there an ambush waiting in the park, or had he simply chosen a direction and fled? They would have to find out.  
  
While the X-Men were following the scent of Sabertooth and frightening Willow, Angel was in the sewers. He was quite certain that he was risking death by doing this, but somehow, Giles had talked him into searching the sewers for the Ik'Tarin demon. The creature was large, ate anything it could catch, and had poisoned hooks on the ends of long tentacles. He hoped that it didn't have slime, it was bad enough trying to get his clothing clean after a normal trip through the sewers without adding demonic slime to the mix.  
  
Angel turned a corner and froze. Resting below a manhole was a large thing, resembling a crocadile with long tentacles. His first thought was a pure panic, wondering how he could get away. Then, the scent of slight decay registered, and Angel took a second look. Long gashes had been raked along the ends of the tentacles, and were now crusted over. The tentacles were oddly positioned, as if they had simply fallen limp to the sewer floor. The creature had one front leg underneath it's body at an unnatural looking angle, and it wasn't moving at all.  
  
Carefully, alert for the faintest hint of movement, Angel moved closer. There was a faint discoloration on the throat, just behind the jaws, as if it were bruised under the scales. The back of the Ik'Tarin's neck had been slashed open, severing the spinal cord just behind the skull. Aparently, something had severed it's spike, and it had fallen through or back down the manhole.  
  
Carefully, Angel inspected the corpse of the Ik'Tarin a bit more carefully. Whatever had done this had very sharp claws. It had also happened a few days ago, judging from the crusted blood on the wounds it had suffered. The good news was that they no longer had to worry about the danger of an Ik'Tarin hunting the sewers of Sunnydale, although he was still a bit baffled about how it had gotten into the sewer system to begin with.  
  
Carfully, Angel climbed up the ladder by the corpse. SInce there was a manhole right here, it was at least worth checking to see if he could exit the sewer system here. Peeking carefully to check for traffic, Angel realized that this was right by the old post office, which had been converted to a tourist information center. It was fairly deserted, so he gratefully exited the sewers. Angel decided that he really needed to shower and remove the stench of the sewers before he dropped by Giles' place to let him know the Ik'Tarin was not going to be a problem anymore.  
  
The sun had set, so there was no serious reason not to walk outside, in the fresh air. There was a feeling of tension, and dark clouds filled the sky. He was fairly certain that no severe weather had been expected, but this was a brewing storm. Perhaps it was some evil threat's calling card? See the storm and cower, for the dreaded evil has arrived? He thought the area he was walking through looked vaguely familiar. Still trying to place exactly why he was thinking the area was familiar from more than simple patrolling, he continued to walk, stopping when he came to a section of sidewalk illuminated by the light from the interior of the house.  
  
The front door was standing wide open, light from lamps and television spilling out over the sidewalk. With a twinge of worry, he realized that it was Willow's house. Walking closer, Angel tried to inspect the house as much as possible. The barrier that prevented him from entering was still in place, preventing him from entering the house. He had never been invited into Willow's house, although he had walked Buffy there on a few occasions when the Slayer had needed to study. Hopefully, the barrier meant that Willow was alive, although it could be dependant on her parent's health, which was a sudden morbid line of thought. Peering in through the doorway, he could see the coffe table overturned, magazines scattered on the floor.  
  
Circling the house, he could see that the back door was also open. He could smell the scent of blood a few days old, but he didn't think it was Willow's. There was other blood that was fresher, and from two different men. He was starting to get very worried now.  
  
Angel decided to head to Giles' house fast. With luck, he could convince the watcher to look for more information inside the house, since as a human he didn't need an invitation. He hoped that Willow was alright. He didn't know her as well as he should, but she seemed like such an incredibly sweet person.  
  
end part 2.  
  
Eventually, Sabertooth's frantic dash had to slow down, and he eventually stopped in one of Sunnydale's parks. He was winded, gasping for breath, bleeding from small nicks over his face, arms and chest. There was also some blood on the bandages at his shoulder, which prompted Willow to drag him over to one of the park benches so that she could check his wound. It hadn't been particularly deep, but the skin had been literally torn away from that spot.  
  
"You're bleeding again! You must have pulled your wound open again when you grabbed me and ran out of the house. Here, let me take a look.."  
  
A few moments careful inspection satisfied Willow that only the edges of the wound had opened up again, and that they did seem to be clotting properly. She carefully refastened the bandages. Considering what had happened, she spoke to Victor, her expression concerned.  
  
"Who were those people?"  
  
He sighed, knowing that it was an important question. "Xavier's people. The younger three are students at his school, and the woman can call lightning. Other one is Wolverine. I think I knew him once... it's not very clear. They fought us at the Statue of Liberty. I knew they were in town before we found the evil crocodile, but I don't know what they want."  
  
Willow pondered that for a few moments, and realized something. "They must have thought that you were a threat to me. If they are from Xavier, they only know cousin Erik as the enemy, and you as his really big bodyguard, which you are really big, and you were keeping him safe, so that's actually logical, so they would see you as a bad guy. Then, they come here, and see the big bad guy, and they over-react... what are they doing here and why were they at my house anyhow?" Willow was not certain why they had been there. What could possibly have drawn their interest to her house, or to her? She was pacing back and forth a bit, staying near the bench where Victor sat.  
  
It was a very short time after she had started her pacing that the X-Men found the park. Once they arrived in the park, there was no difficulty whatso ever in seeing the bench occupied by the broad shouldered guy with a mane of reddish blond hair. There was very little trouble spotting the moving redhead as she moved along her path like a human pendulum, muttering things under her breath about life being complicated. Logan wasn't thinking very clearly, mostly just following the scent of Sabertooth. Instead of letting Ororo try to talk to the girl, he lunged for Sabertooth again.  
  
"Logan, wait! We are here to speak to the girl, not..." She watched as Logan tackled Sabertooth, growling at the larger mutant. The pair of them rolled towards a shrub, snarling, Logan's silver claws flashing. "...fight with Sabertooth." She finished her sentence, hope of a quiet meeting crumbling asshe spoke.  
  
Once more, Wolverine growled, his usual efforts to try to control his terrifying temper vanishing at the sight, the scent of Sabertooth. Sabertooth snarled back, something odd gleaming in his eyes. Willow, who had been facing Sabertooth by pure chance saw that odd gleam and thought it seemed almost familiar, somehow important. That was the only observation she could amake before the feral mutants were once more battling each other, growling and snarling like a pair of wild beasts, sharp teeth gleaming in the moonlight, claws flashing.  
  
Willow gasped as she saw them fighting. It was as if neither of them had a single rational thought in their minds, everything was focused on the goal of ripping the other to shreds. She had finally realized where that look had seemed familiar. She had once seen one of her mother's friends give somebody a post hypnotic suggestion, that look had been very similar to the one Dave Walters had shown before he picked up the lace doilie and placed it on his head as if it were a toupee. Who could have implanted a suggestion in those two, and why?  
  
Wolverine was gaining the upper hand, not being handicapped by the injuries Victor had recieved for the Ik'Tarin. Willow could not stand the idea of watching this dark haired man cause serious harm to her protector. She had a flash of the manhole cover flying over, hitting the Ik'Tarin in the throat, and knew that she had done that. She tried this time, closing her eyes and trying to feel if there was something in the area that she could use, some way to separate the two men.  
  
She could feel the metal leg of the parkbench, and the wire frame of the trash can. She immediately discounted them as to light to be effective, the same with an assortment of small bits of metal that she could feel like tiny humming spots in her mind. Then, there was the odd one. There was another hum, deeper in tone, more solid feeling than the bench legs or the bottle tops. It was with surprise mingled with horror that Willow realized the feeling was coming from the other man's skeleton.  
  
She could be apalled by metal bones later. Now, she reached towards him with this newly discovered ability, pulling him up and back from Victor. She opened her eyes to see the dark haired man, what had Victor called him, Wolverine? He was floating in the air, suspended by Willow's efforts. She could feel him trying to get down, to escape her grip. He was still snarling.  
  
Victor was laying on the ground, bleeding more. Not only had his wounds reopened, Wolverine had given him new ones. Willow was delighted to see that they were closing now, a process fast enough that she could actually see them healing. His bruises from the fight a few days ago were gone now. Catching his breath, he moved from his back to a half crouch, trying to figure out what was going on. Seeing Wolverine hanging in the air, he froze, staring at Wolverine in amazement.  
  
"Can you two behave long enough for us to figure out what's going on now?" Willow's voice broke the silence, as everyone stared at Wolverine hanging in the air. There were now dark clouds overhead, and faint rumbles of thunder.  
  
"Sure Red, I'll try to behave." Sabertooth's voice was very raspy, hoarse from catching his opponent's forearm in his throat. He went over to the red-haired girl, who was nervous and trembling at a park bench. He reached out with one hand, and tilted her face up so he could look at her. Sabertooth murmured something Ororo couldn't quite make out. Then, he sat on the bench beside her, and looked at Ororo.  
  
Storm was quite unsettled by the sight of her teammate floating in the air, held by an unseen power. So far, Willow had not attempted to hurt him. She had simply pulled him off of Sabertooth, and left him floating in the air, held in place like a fly in amber. She had not actually attempted to harm any of them, and Sabertooth seemed to be content to follow her lead.  
  
"I think we need to figure out what is happening here as well. Perhaps there has been a bit of confusion. Would it be corrrect to assume that you are in no danger from Sabertooth?" Storm's voice was soft, a bit hesitant as she spoke. She wasn't certain how to think of Willow.  
  
Willow and Sabertooth both smile at that. Sabertooth was the first one to reply. "Willow might be in danger here, but not from me."  
  
"Danger? From Sabertooth? No, I'm not in any danger from him... Why does everyone think he's here to cause trouble?" Willow's voice was filled with surprise, and a hint of exasperation. "Right, let's just make this perfectly clear. He's not here to hurt me. He has actually been doing his best, which has been very good, to keep me safe from scary things that would hurt me. He was also trying to keep me safe from you people. He's like... my bodygaurd."  
  
"Could you let Logan down, please? I believe he will behave himself." Ororo was disturbed by the sight of Logan in the air.  
  
Sabertooth snickered a bit, settling into a mere smile at a look from Willow. Logan was lowered to the ground, where he promptly shook himself off, and moved back closer to Ororo and the teens.  
  
"Magneto did that once. I didn't like it." His voice was low, not quite a growl.  
  
"You were trying to kill him! I had to get you to stop. Now, the polite lady over there was going to give me some answers. Please try not to kill anyone right now." Willow glared at Logan.  
  
end part 3.  
  
Angel reached the home of Rupert Giles in a fairly short time. He opened the door, and went inside. To his surprise, Xander was there, flipping the pages of a book on Oriental demons and talking about some sports team. Xander had a box of donuts beside him. Xander... wait, Xander was Willow's friend. He could look inside her house for clues.  
  
  
  
"Giles. I have good news, and bad news." Angel spoke, startling both the watcher and Xander Harris.  
  
"Bells... we need to get him in some bells." Xander was the first to speak. Predictably, he was unhappy to see Angel.  
  
Giles looked at the vampire, a bit uneasy about having him in his house like that. "Why don't you start with the good news."  
  
Angel nodded, and leaned against the doorway, looming slightly. It appeared to be unconciously, but it was still a bit unnerving. "I found the Ik'Tarin, or what was left of it. The troubling thing about that is that it was already dead when I found it. It was under the street, right across from the Sunnydale tourist information center."  
  
He resisted the urge to sigh, and merely shifted his weight a bit. "I think it was Victor Creed that did it, although I have no solid proof. The tentacles had long slashes, and something with claws severed the spine right behind it's skull. It's been dead a few days. The bad news... I think something happened at Willow's house. I don't know what, but the doors were both open, and there was nobody inside."  
  
Xander stood up, his face going a bit pale. "Oh my god... is Willow hurt? What happened?"  
  
Angel straightened up, a plan firmly in his mind. "I don't know what happened. The only things I'm positive of are the facts that the doors were standing open, nobody was inside, and there was the scent of blood. I need you to go with me Xander, you're Willow's friend. You've been in her house, you can look around inside and tell me if there's anything suspicious."  
  
Xander moved towards the door, clearly nervous and unhappy about the situation. "Blood? Whose blood and how did it get there... I do not like the sound of this. Let's go deadboy."  
  
In the park, Willow was facing the representatives of Charles Xavier, watching them with curiosity and suspicion. "What were you doing in Sunnydale? Why my house, assuming there was a point other than the guys fighting?"  
  
Kitty chimed in with the asnwer to that. "We were looking for you. The professor, whom you may have heard something about, wanted us to find you. There were some questions..." She was trying her best to look friendly and harmless.  
  
Storm spoke next, hoping to calm Willow's suspicions. "We didn't intend any harm. The Professor learned that you wre writing to Magneto, and he was trying to determine why. When he could not think of a reason, he decided to send us and have us find out."  
  
Kitty frowned as a thought occured to her. "You might be in danger too." Hearing a slight growl from Sabertooth, she hastened to explain. "You had a trip or something to San Diego, and now your pictures on this website for a group of mutant hating people that like to beat folks up for being a mutant or friendly with mutants. You and this blue haired kid. There might be someone willing to try something."  
  
"Websites for anti mutant... whoa, that's a new thing. Rather mean, but new to me." She nibbled on her lip, thinking to herself. "As for the letters, Erik is my cousin. Well, it's slightly more complicated, because his mother was my great grandfather's oldest daughter, so his more of a second cousin or something like that, but he's family. And he was locked up in prison because they thought he was trying to kill the delegates, which I don't think he was doing because there would be dozens of easier ways to do it than a device to make a shiny silver light, but they had to say something to get people to lock him up. So he was all alone in prison, and he couldn't go anywhere and that had to be very lonely so we sent him birthday cards, and then he wrote back, and then we wrote back, and he's my friend now, so there."  
  
Willow's explanation left the X-Men slightly stunned, and trying to unravel her words and make sense out of them all. She was giving them a look that was slightly defensive, mixed with resolve, as if daring them to make an issue of her answer.  
  
"He's your cousin through your great grandfather, and you sent him a birthday card because you though he was lonely in prison?" Jubilee's voice was astonished. She could hardly believe that was all there was to it.  
  
"How long have you known he was your cousin, Willow?" Ororo's voice was still soft, she was convinced there was more information.  
  
"I had an assignment to do a report on my family tree, and my Opa told me about his oldest daughter who got sent to a Nazi death camp with her husband and their son Erik, and he said that he could never get an answer about what happened to Erik. Then, I watched the much publicized trial of Magneto, and I found he's Opa's little grandson Erik." Willow's voice was quiet, thoughtful. So, I sent him a birthday card, and he wrote back, so we ended up writing letters. I think he's terribly bored in there."  
  
Bobby made a choking noise. "bored... you think he's bored..."  
  
Kitty and Jubilee simply looked stunned, and even Logan stoped trying to squirm out of the unseen force holding him to simply stare at Willow after that statement.  
  
"He wasn't sent to prison for his entertainment." Logan didn't quite snarl at Willow, but he was clearly unhappy.  
  
"No, he was sent to prison becasue people were afraid of him. I am entirely certain that his device was not intended to simply kill those delegates, and if you actually thought about it at all, you would realize that as well. There would be dozens of simpler ways if all he wanted was to kill them.. and you're the people who stopped his plan anyhow, so you should already know that. The point is, everyone was alarmed by what happened, and the general public and the media were terrified, so he got locked up indefinately in this little plastic cube, all by himself and he doesn't get any visitors other than this Xavier guy." Willow was pacing again, her thoughts about her cousin's confinement irritating her again. Sabertooth was smiling, amused by the way that she was dealing with the X-Men.  
  
She looked at Storm, having decided that the two adults would be the most informed, or at least, most likely to be authorized to explain, and Wolverine was still grumpy. "Why did you come here? If all you needed to know was why am I writing letters, there would be easier menthods of finding out. Xavier doesn't always send a whole groups of people to talk to a possible... what, someone you might convince to leave with you. I know for a fact that when he sent someone to recruit Billy Madison, the only person that came was Dr. Jean Grey."  
  
Storm sighed. "It is true that there was another factor in the Professor's reasoning. I do not know if you are aware of this, but Magneto is not well. He has been diagnosed with cancer, and it was the Professor's thought that you might be a compatible donor."  
  
end part 4  
  
Xander had only chosen to work alone with Angel once before, in an effort to save the life of the golden slayer that he had though he loved. Well, at least lusted hopelessly after. That had been a tense, unhappy experience filled with distrust and tension. In some ways, this was better, and in others it was infinitely worse. He had no fear that Angel was trying to lure him off and kill him. Not with Willow at stake in this.  
  
At stake, ha ha, he made a not so funny. But seriously, he could tell that even though Angel had barely spent time with the group, he had a clue about Willow. He understood that Willow was special, the sort of person you find once in a lifetime, if you're lucky. He was worried that something bad had happened to Willow, which was all to possible considering that this was Sunnydale. Angel wanted Willow to be safe.  
  
Which was the whole thing that made things infinitely worse than when they had gone searching for the Master's lair. It wasn't Buffy in possible danger. Buffy, blonde glorious Buffy who could fight off evil single handed... Xander shook himself back to the matter at hand. Willow was in danger. His best friend since kindergarden, and she was gone, her house standing open in the night. The idea of someone kidnapping Willow made him feel all knotted up inside, pained in ways he had never imagined. With luck, Willow would be safe somewhere.  
  
They arrived at Willow's house. The lights were still on in the living room and kitchen the television playing something, a show about some high technology developments that Xander had no interest in. He looked at the room, staring. The table was overturned, scattering magazines everywhere. Small amounts of blood were on the floor, out of the line of sight of the door. Willow's backpack was near the door, where she always left it. The rest of the ground floor seemed undisturbed. Xander glanced in Willow's room, which was neat as ever, a letter opened and siting near her computer. Seeing that all was as it should be, he moved back to the kitchen.  
  
Angel was standing at the doorway, frowning. "Xander. You need to check the basement. I can smell old blood from it. I don't have an invitation, it has to be you."  
  
Xander sent a weak smile Angel's direction. "Blood in the basement. Right."  
  
He moved to the basement stairs, where the door was slightly ajar. He opened it farther, and turned on the light that he knew was right beside the door. Yellowed light illuminated the stairs, showing everything as it should be... wait, the old computer that had been relegated to the basement had been pulled out. It was sitting on the floor, the edge of it barely in sight. That was odd.  
  
Moving carefully down the stairs, Xander realized that he could smell the blood. He moved carefully, feeling like there was something important here, and the scent of blood making him nervous. The old computer had been set up, and was even plugged into the outlet, as if it had been used for something. Over to the side, there was an old matress with a frayed blanket over it. Both had bloodstains on them, and there was a basin of slightly pink water sitting near the matress. There was a pile of old towels, covered with blood, soaking in the old kiddy pool that had been left forgotten in the basement. There was a large first aid kit sitting beside the computer.  
  
Xander was loooking at this with something between shock and confusion and a sense of Willow logic. As near as he could tell, Willow had found an injured... someone? Then, she had brought them down here to take care of without her parent's knowledge. They had been on the old mattress because her parents weren't supposed to know, she had used the old computer so she could do something without leaving her patient. The towels were in the kiddypool of water so that the blood would hopefully rinse out. There was nothing he could see to tell him who or what Willow had felt the need to patch together, let alone why.  
  
Xander moved back up the stairs, still trying to make sense of it. He turned off the lights and television, locking the doors before leaving the house. He explained what he found, and his guesses as to what had happened in the basement. It still didn't give them any idea where Willow was right now, or what had happened in the living room. Having finished their investigation and only gaining more questions, they began the trek back to Giles' house, walking slowly and trying to make sense of everything.   
  
"Well, there was something going on. There was a mattress in the basement with bloodstains, and a pile of blood soaked towels. My guess is that Willow found someone and took them to her basement to patch them up. No idea why she would do that instead of take them to a hospital, but that's my guess. Her backpack and purse are still inside, so wherever Willow is, she didn't plan to go there." Xander shared his findings with Angel, feeling worried. As they were walking, a thought occured to Xander.  
  
"Angel, who's this Victor Creed person? I mean, you told Giles that the Ik'Tarin was dead, which means we can stop looking for ways to get rid of it, and you thought it had been Creed. So, who or what is this Creed? And how much trouble is he going to be?"  
  
That explanation took most of the trip back to Giles' house to explain, and left them both quietly unhappy, pondering the questions of what had happened to Willow, and what did this Creed want in Sunnydale.  
  
end part 5.  
  
"The Professor was just hoping that I might by some chance be a close enough genetic match to donate bone marrow? Either your professor knew or suspected more than he told you or he likes to bet on long shots." Willow was considering the idea. She didn't know these people, had no idea how reliable they were, but she didn't want Erik to die. She was pacing again, mentally debating the pros and cons of the idea. Her head was beginning to ache from all these thoughts..   
  
After some more pacing, with a few words muttered outloud as she continued her metal debate, Willow came to a decision. "If I can help Erik, I should try. He's family, and one of the few, okay, one of two that actually cares, so I'm not about to just let him die if I can try to prevent it. But, I'm not just going to run off with you people and.. how did you plan to leave anyhow? Plane, train, minivan? Ummm off topic, anyhow, what I was meaning to say was that before I go running off with a group of strange people that I don't know, I need to tell Giles where I'm going."  
  
"Who's Giles? Don't you need to tell your parents?" Logan asked the question, actually beating Ororo to it. He then got an odd look, as if he hadn't expected to worry about the issue.  
  
"Giles is our school librarian and also like a second father to me and my friends. He's there for us, and we try to keep him from worrying to much. My parents are in.. hmmm I think they went to Atlanta this time. There's a conference on new psychiatric counseling techniques....and I think there was something about a new anti depressant." Willow answered the question, her opinion of the group rising a bit. "Point is, my actual biological parents are out of town, but Giles would worry if I just disappeared, so I need to tell him."  
  
Her decision made, Willow turned and began walking towards Giles house. She knew that this decision would change things forever, no matter what. She had caught sight of Victor standing to follow her as she departed, and felt the deep humm of Wolverine's bones following them, so she assumed that the others were also following her. She felt like she was leading some sort of parade. "Giles is definately going to freak out about this one. I'm still trying to determine which part will bug him the most."  
  
She arived at Giles' house fairly quickly. She knocked briefly before opening the door and walking in. Sabertooth followed her, and the X-Men were left standing at the doorway, trying to decide if they should stay outside or follow into the house. Kitty and Jubilee followed, while the others remained outside feeling awkward.  
  
Willow waited until Giles put down his teacup before speaking to him. "Umm Giles? It looks lke I'm going to be going out of town for a bit. My cousin Erik is sick, and I want to go see if I can help him get better."  
  
Giles looked up, intending to tell Willow that that was a perfectly reasonable thing to do. Instead, he saw Victor Creed, someone that made Angel nervous, looming behind Willow, with blood over his body, and bits of grass and twigs in his hair. "Willow! You're here, and safe. Good Lord... that's... behind you..." Giles initial relief at seeing Willow safe after Angel's report about her house being empty turned to dismayed fear when he realized that the Victor Creed that Angel had been deeply concerned about was standing in his house.  
  
Willow correctly interpreted Giles' broken sentence. "That's Victor Creed, yes. I overheard Angel freaking in the library and looked at the picture. He's not a problem, and we killed this nasty thing in the sewers, your book called it an Ik'Tarin? anyhow.... I'm going to be leaving town for a bit, and I wanted you to know so you didn't freak out and worry about me. I'm going to visit a sick relative. Can you tell Xander that I'm going away for a bit, but I'll try to bring him a souvenir?"  
  
At Giles faint nod, Willow smiled and gave him a hug. "Great! I'll see everyone again in a while, shouldn't be more than a few weeks. Try to get some rest, okay?"   
  
Giles nodded, still trying to make sense out of all this. Victor Creed... sent to keep Willow safe? Her cousin Erik had cancer... had he met this cousin Erik? How had her cousin managed to send her Creed? This was going to leave him with a bigger headache than the Ik'Tarin had. He watched at they left, Willow leading the way, trailed by Creed, a tall dark skinned woman with white hair, a dark haired man that looked quite unhapppy, a pair of giggling teenage girls about Willow's age, and a quiet teenage boy. Yes, it would be safer for him to stay here on the hellmouth. At least he knew that whatever had happened in Willow's house, she was safe.  
  
As they left the house, Willow was already planning what she would need to take with her. She would need clothing, a few items.. she could do without her computer. Which raised the question "How are we going there anyhow? I know Erik's doctor is right near the prison, so that's where we probably need to go for the testing."  
  
"Figured we'd take a plane, probably a small charter flight." Logan still didn't sound happy.  
  
Willow thought about it, and figured that metal detectors probably reacted to his bones, which would end up with a loud noise. That had to be frustrating and annoying to him. So, a small charter plane made perfect sense. " I need to pack a few things, and Victor might want to get some things too."  
  
"You mean he's going with us?" The boy spoke, obviously worried. His expression of concern was echoed on the faces of the two girls.  
  
"Why wouldn't he? He wants to make sure I'm safe, how can he do that if I'm one place and he's somewhere else? Besides, I like him." Willow's answer was acompanied by her "resolve face".  
  
There was some definate arguement on that point. Victor just stood back, watching it all with a smile, confident that Willow wouldn't back down. It would be fun to listen in on this. He had enjoyed listening to her yell at the boy, and been amused at the way she had talked Giles into giving her fighting lessons. Now, it was his chance to watch her argue the X-Men into submission.  
  
Eventually, it was conceeded that Sabertooth could go with them. It was specified that this did not mean they trusted him, and Willow was left responsible for ensuring that he would behave. They began making the arangements for a small charter plane.  
  
end part 6.  
  
Angel and Xander had returned to tell Giles what Xander had found inside Willow's house. It was always possible that Giles might have some idea who or what Willow had been tending in her basement. They were expecting him to still be worried about what might have happened, concerned for Willow's unknown situation.  
  
Actually, Giles was now concerned because he knew Willow's situation.  
  
"WHAT!!! Willow was standing here, in your house, and you let her leave with some guy that makes Deadboy nervous! You let her walk away with the scary disembowling monster guy?" Xander was very loudly freaking out. He was looking frantically for signs of chaos or impending apocalypse. "It's one of the rules man! You only let the scary bad guy kidnap your friend after they knock you out cold! She's going to die, Willow's going to die..."  
  
Angel didn't think Xander was going to accomplish very much by all his shouting. However, he was in complete agreement. "Why did Willow leave with Creed?" He didn't even realize that his features had shifted to his vampire face. He was to worried about Willow's safety to pretend to unatainable humanity. There was also the scent of blood in the air, and Angel realized that it was fresh blood from the person that had been bleeding in Willow's basement, and also again in her living room.  
  
Oh merciful god, what had posessed Willow to take Victor Creed home like a wounded puppy?  
  
Giles sighed, rubbing his temples. He could feel a terrible headache growing from this. "Once more, she simply walked in, with Victor Creed following her. I did not realize that he was there until I looked up and saw him. While I was attempting to explain to her that the rather large and bloodcovered individual behind her was dangerous, she informed me, with resolve face, that her cousin Erik had been diagnosed with Cancer, and she was leaving to discover if she would be a compatible donor for him."  
  
"She followed this by saying that her cousin had sent Victor Creed to watch over her, as he was concerned about her safety in Sunnydale." Giles sighed, placing his glasses on a brown leather book beside his chair. "Willow also asked me to relay her farewells, and promised to bring you back a present, Xander. She left before I could protest."  
  
Angel's thoughts ground to a halt, suddenly crystalizing into a new pattern. Either Victor Creed was now Willow's bodyguard, thus ensuring her safety from everything short of lightning, or he was more devious than Angel had given him credit, and was trying to win Willow's trust before doing something horrible. "What do we know about this cousin Erik?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Willow had returned to the hotel where they had rented rooms in a foul mood. She was practically growling with it, while Sabertooth was simply looking unreadable and large. She threw her ballcap on the floor, and dropped into a chair, glaring at the indifferent landscape on the wall.  
  
"What happened? " Jubilee was the one to ask. She was overly curious, which she had actually been told was a fault. There was also the added near safety that since Sabertooth didn't know her, she wouldn't be extra annoying to him like Logan was.  
  
He looked over at her, his dark eyes unreadable, and smiled slightly. "They wouldn't let her in. She wanted to go visit Magneto."  
  
That made a bit of sense to the rest of them. They were less clear on her reasoning for visiting, following the theory of wanting to visit her ill cousin perfectly well up to the point where that cousin was Magneto.  
  
"If it will help your mood any, you have an appointment to visit Dr. Hause today at five o'clock. I took the liberty of saying that you wanted to see if you would be compatable to donate tissue to an ill relative." Ororo's voice carried well, despite the low volume.  
  
"Goody. I can get something accomplished while I'm here. I got presents for people, I can't see my cousin... the air conditioner's busted... wait wait, didn't you say something about making ice, Bobby? Can you frost down the tub in my room, which should cool the whole room down considerably?" Willow was trying not to take out her frustrations on everyone.  
  
Grinning, Bobby Drake jumped to his feet, delighted to have some valid excuse to escape the presence of her intimidating bodygaurd. It was a great idea as well. Procelain would hold the chill, and when the frost melted, it wouldn't get the floor all soaked. "No problem, Red."  
  
Eventually, Willow and Ororo left to go visit Dr Hause, with Victor Creed following along, his expression clearly unhappy. He looked dangerous, and kept flexing his left hand as if he wanted to either strangle someone or shred something.  
  
When the physician's assistant, a dark haired woman dressed in navy blue medical scrubs opened the door and called Willow's name, she stood up looking only slightly nervous. She leaned over to Victor, whispering to him that she would be just fine. Then, she followed to assistant into the depths of the office, the door swinging shut behind her.  
  
Willow was measured for height, weighed, her blood pressure and pulse checked, and finally, she was shown to a small exam room, painted a pale green with a leaf pattern stenciled along the walls in an effort to make the room look less sterile, less like a doctor's room. It made it look like a green exam room, with the green vinyl exam table, the wood toned cupboard with cotton swabs and bandages, and a stack of last months magazines in a wicker basket by the chair.  
  
Willow waited somewhat impatiently for Dr. Hause to come into the room. Finally, there was a tap at the door, followed by a man possibly in his later forties, his brown hair going to grey at his temples. He either had a very good tan or a naturally dark complexion, and had friendly brown eyes. He was holding a clipboard, and had a faintly puzzled look under his professional smile.  
  
"Good afternoon, I'm Dr. Hause. I understand you wanted to see me concerning a question of genetic compatability?" He permitted his words to be a question, a hint for further information.  
  
Willow decided that she tenatively liked this doctor. "Yes, you see, my cousin is one of your patients, and you've recently diagnosed him with bone cancer. I wanted to see if I would be a compatable donor to try to help him."  
  
Dr. hause blinked, his mind turning over her words. The only patient that he had given such a diagnosis to was Erik Lenscherr. "Your cousin is..."  
  
Willow grinned cheerfully. "Erik Lenscherr, yes. He's related, and there isn't much of a resembalance, but I was hoping I could at least try to help him, y'know?"  
  
With that question settled, they began the testing. It involved at it's simplest, Willow filling out pages of information about her family medical history, her personal medical history, and her health habits. There was also blood drawn, and it would be sent off for extensive testing, for normal things like diseases as well as her genetic profile.  
  
After some considerable time with that, Willow finished the forms, and collected her backpack. She left the exam area, returning to the waiting room. The only people left in it were Ororo, who was sitting very still while pretending to read a magazine, and Victor, pacing the room like a caged animal and growling faintly.  
  
It was hard to say who was more relieved to leave the room, Ororo or Victor.  
  
end part 7.  
  
  
  
Dr. Hause had sent the bloodwork to a nice little lab he knew. They were actually quite close, so he could get updates quickly. He had been able to do a few minor tests in the office, and they had looked promising. Which was why he had decided to visit Mr. Lenscherr and let him know about this new development. He was not what you would call a friend of his, but he had developed a profound respect for the determination and intensity of Mr. Lenscherr's ideas and concerns.  
  
He was certain the the news that his cousin Willow was wiling to donate bone marrow to him if the tests indicated that she was compatable would be a pleasant surprise to him. The indisputable indication of concern should improve his spirits. Since the diagnosis, his patient had been rather depressed, brooding over the information. He felt that dying of cancer would be not only anti-climactic for him, but a common death, bereft of dignity.  
  
With luck, learning that his cousin wanted to help him live would encourage Erik Lenscherr to try to survive. If he would fight his illness, wanting to live, it would improve his chances. Besides, it would be nice to be able to deliver some good news to his patient for once.  
  
After his office closed, Dr Hause had gone to the prison to visit his patient, Mr. Lenscherr. The guards recognized him by now, and no longer bothered checking his identification in exhaustive detail, although he was still checked for metal items. Finally, he crossed the plastic hall to see his patient. Erik was turning over a chess pawn in his hand, staring at it in such a way that it was clear his thoughts were not on the item in his hand.  
  
"Hello Erik. I had an interesting appointment today, one that I thought you might be interested in hearing about." Dr. Hause tried to keep his tone pleasant. He didn't like the fact that Erik was already losing weight. He wasn't certain if it was a result of the cancer or his mental state.  
  
"I thought you were not supposed to talk about your patients." He sounded interested in spite of himself.  
  
"Actually, I see no reason not to tell you about this one. Her name is Willow Rosenberg." He smiled to himself when Erik's attention was abruptly focused on him, his expression curious and concerned. "It seems that she somehow found out about your condition, and she came all the way here from California to be tested to see if she's a compatable donor for you. I think this is a definate sign that someone wants you to live."  
  
"Willow was in your office... to be tested for genetic compatability to donate bone marrow..for me?" Erik's voice became more amazed and fainter as he spoke.  
  
"Yes. I don't know how she learned that I'm your doctor, but she showed up in the office, and told me that she wanted to be tested to see if she could donate marrow for you. I must say that the preliminary results indicate a good chance." Dr Hause was smiling, pleased to see definate animation in Erik's face.  
  
They had a discussion about the risks that Willow might have, as a donor, which were minimal. There would be a greater danger if people learned what she had done that the actual procedure itself. Dr. Hause agreed that Willow seemed to be amazingly nice, and quite definitely cared for people. With luck, she would have a bright future ahead of her.  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, Ororo Munroe had decided to call Charles Xavier and give him an update. She didn't think anyone had remembered to tell him that they had left Sunnydale. Everything felt better here than it had in that town, the odd disturbance was gone. He would like to know how the situation stood.  
  
"Hello, can I speak to the Professor please?" She thought the voice that had answered sounded somewhat familiar. Perhaps Warren?  
  
After a few moments pause, the phone was picked up again, and she heard the Professor's voice. -Hello, what news do you have, Ororo?-  
  
She had to smile slightly. The Professor always seemed calm, and it was soothing to speak to him. "Professor, we have good news and troubling news. For the good news, we have located Willow Rosenberg. She is related to Magneto, she said that her great grandfather's eldest daughter was Magneto's mother, so he is her cousin."  
  
Taking a breath, Ororo continued. "After a bit of initial... confusion, we explained about his illness, and we are currently near his location, awaiting the results of the testing to determine if she would be a compatable donor. She most definitely wishes to help her cousin recover from his illness. That would be the good news."  
  
-You mentioned bad news, rather, you said troubling news. What is troubling about the situation?- He sounded calm. After all, Willow was only a teenager, an A student, with no criminal record. How troubling could she be?  
  
"It seems that she has been writing to her cousin for a while, and he shares Jean's opinion that Sunnydale is not a safe place. However, it seems he decided to do something about it." Ororo's voice was balanced between dry amusement and concern.  
  
-What could he do about the town being dangerous? He is still in... - The Professor sounded a bit worried now.  
  
"It was not a direct action, and as far as I know Magneto is still firmly imprisoned. He sent her a bodygaurd. Professor, she has Sabertooth following her around! Not only that, but he's willing to take orders from her, and he is here with us, actually with her." Ororo's concern was now audible, as was a definate trace of fear. She did not trust Sabertooth, and she very clearly recalled his near strangling of her. He had not made a favorable impression on her.  
  
-He's taking orders from her? This is a very disturbing thing. What sort of things has she told him to do? Anything particularly concerning, or simply the fact that he is obeying her?- The Professor wanted to learn as much as possible about this development. If Willow could control Sabertooth, she could potentially be very dangerous.  
  
"So far, we aren't aware of her asking him to do anything particularly dangerous or illegal. She did however, insist that he and Logan stop fighting, and Sabertooth listened to her. He boarded a small airplane and flew across several states with us so that she would not be left alone with us. He accompanied her to the office of Dr. Hause, and I had the... experience of staying in the waiting room watching him pace while she had her appointment." Ororo's voice was almost even until she mentioned the wait at the doctor's office.  
  
-This is something to consider. For now, I think we should be very glad that she has done nothing more than ask him to behave. It might be wise to keep an eye on her.- The Professor's voice was thoughtful. Willow Rosenberg was Magneto's cousin. Would she also prove to be hissuccessor in his ideology?  
  
end part 8.  
  
  
  
Dr. Hause was looking at the envelope on his desk, the results that had been sent in it currently in front of him. He knew what they were about, there hadn't been very many genetic screenings of any sort that he had sent off lately. This was the analysis of Willow Rosenberg, and the compatability for bone marrow donation for her cousin, Erik Lenscherr, better known as Magneto. He had skimmed it already, hitting the high points in an effort to discover if Erik would have a chance to live.  
  
He hoped the lab didn't permit any of the results from this to leak to anyone. Bad enough from the media's perspective if it was learned that someone wanted to save Magneto. Willow had a very strong genetic match, and the probablility that marrow from her would be accepted by Erik's system was very high. That brought him around to the second problem. One of the areas that had ended up as a near exact match had been the section that they believed enable Magneto to lift police cars with only a thought. They had no idea what result the slight variation, which matched the pattern for a normal family trait, would have on the level of ability that she would have.  
  
The cheerful redhaired girl that had sat in his office was related to Magneto, and had the genetic potential to dvelop abilities similar to his. The possibilities were numerous, and many of them were not very comforting. He only hoped that life permitted her to remain the kind and generous soul he had met the other day.  
  
Looking over the lab results again, he began gathering the paperwork necesarry to begin the preparations for a bone marrow transplant. He also began mentally rehearsing how this call would go. Willow had left the number of the hotel room she was currently staying at, so that when the results came back, she could be immediately informed about them.  
  
He dialed the number that she had left, wanting to arrange this himself. This would probably make Willow quite happy. Because of her courage and generosity, her cousin would now have a chance to live. He wondered for a moment what sort of family could have produced such a determined and caring young woman. Her parents must be very proud of their daughter.  
  
Willow went in the next day to begin the paperwork needed for the transplant. Once again, Victor went with her, and she was fairly certain that he was going to spend the whole time pacing. He seemed to have a thing about doctor's offices. She was filling out the paperwork quickly, notwanting to make Vic worry any longer than he had to. The last page made herstop and frown. Parental consent form.  
  
"Umm Dr. Hause? My parents didn't come to the office with me, can Itake this back with me to get filled out and bring it back tomorrow?" Willow looked hopeful.  
  
"I don't see how that would be a problem. Just be certain that everything is filled out properly, and bring it back when you've finished. I know it isn't quite the normal procedure, but... I think we can make and exception in this case." Dr. Hause knew that it wasn't the way things were normally done. However, most parents would come into the office with their daughter. He could see no harm in letting her have them fill out the form tonight.  
  
Willow smiled, a delighted look full of joy. "Thanks, Dr. Hause! I'll have it back tomorrow, bright and early."  
  
Still smiling, she returned to the waiting room where Vic was pacing. They left the office, both smiling.  
  
"Parental consent? Won't that be a bit difficult?" Vic had to ask. He knew very well that they had left Willow's parents in Sunnydale. They might still be there, or they may have gone somewhere else by now, but they certainly weren't here.  
  
Willow giggled a bit, a sound he hadn't expected. However, the amusement didn't reach her eyes. "No trouble at all. I've been signing the parental consent forms for my parents for years now. My parents are very busy people, and they can't be expected to review every single paper that is sent home from school. Give me about five minutes, and it will look like Sheila Rosenberg has filled out the paper. I didn't pack any of her perfume to spray near it to make it smell more like her, but I think I can manage."  
  
He blinked, a bit surprised. Not that she wasn't devious enough to manage something like that, he had already realized the Willow could be devious and thorough in her plans. If anything, it was because some small part of him had hoped that her parent's neglect of her was a recent thing, not a well developed pattern that went back for years. He found himself feeling oddly sympathetic for the lonely girl she must have been. Her parents had ignored her, leaving her only the idiot boy and the now dead Jesse. It was amazing that she had become such a caring individual.  
  
end part 9. End To the Rescue. 


	10. FT10: Secrets Exposed

fic: Family Tree 10 Secrets Exposed  
  
  
  
Author: Lucinda  
  
rating: pg? pg 13?  
  
no Willow pairing  
  
disclaimer: I own nobody from BtVS or Marvel. Rustling Pines (staff, structure & residents) belongs to me, as does Dr. Hause and Tracie.  
  
distribution: if you have one of the earlier FT, yes. Otherwise ask.  
  
  
  
=====  
  
Willow had wanted to help her cousin Erik. The genetic compatibility had been a definite help. Dr. Hause had looked a bit worried when he mentioned that the same section of different DNA that enabled her cousin to lift police cars was present in her. She had simply told him that she wasn't worried about that, she just wanted to help her cousin recover. Truthfully, she had already figured that part out, but Willow figured Dr. Hause would feel better not knowing about that.  
  
The operation had gone smoothly. There had been no trouble with the procedure, although Victor had almost destroyed the waiting room out of sheer nerves. He had issues about doctors and surgeries. The only other person that had been willing to go with her had been Jubilee, who had ended up leaving the waiting area and essentially hiding in the ladies restroom. Sabertooth hadn't looked like he was planning to do her harm, but she had been petrified anyhow.  
  
Logan and Ororo had refused to go, both essentially because Sabertooth was going. Logan had said it was a bad idea for him to be near Creed. Ororo had said that she had been in a waiting room with Sabertooth once, which was more than enough for a lifetime.  
  
Now, Jubilee understood, though she suspected that this was worse. He had been muttering about doctors, and drugs, and something about smelling Willow bleeding. That was about the time things started getting slashed, so she had slipped out of the room. He obviously had major issues, and she thought that he probably was in desperate need for some careful mental therapy.  
  
Eventually, Willow had been taken to a separate area to recover from the surgery. A very brave individual had informed Mr. Creed of this, and Jubilee had heard him leave to go see Willow. She had decided that she probably should follow him and make sure that Willow was recovering properly. The fact that he had stopped growling had been a factor in this decision. If he wasn't growling, it was less likely that he would still be shredding things.  
  
Jubilee had no trouble following Sabertooth to a hospital room. Willow had the room to herself, and looked pale and fragile on the hospital bed. She was unconscious, which seemed leave Sabertooth frowning.  
  
"Chill, it's just the anesthetic. They put her under for the operation and it will take a while for it to wear off enough that she'll wake up. After it does, she'll be groggy for a while. This is normal." She found herself trying to reassure Sabertooth. Just to keep everyone in the hospital safe, or at least, she tried to tell herself that that was why. It had nothing to do with the fact that he seemed worried.  
  
Sabertooth stayed in the room, sometimes sitting, sometimes looking out the window, at other times pacing. He was keeping watch over Willow. She wasn't as helpless anymore as when he had first seen her, but she was in a drugged sleep, unable to defend herself. Besides, the smells of the hospital set him on edge. They drew the shadows of memories and nightmares close to the surface. He knew that the girl, the one that had come with them to the hospital had gone to tell the others how things had gone. She was afraid of him, but tried to hide it. It didn't matter. Willow was asleep in a place of scientists and drugs, and he had to keep her safe.  
  
At this time in Sunnydale, Giles, Xander and Angel were being very worried about Willow and this mysterious cousin of hers. Xander had managed to conclude that this 'cousin Erik' wasn't any of the relatives that had met. Of course, there were enough people related to Willow that he couldn't be sure that he'd met all of them, but it did mean that he couldn't offer any information of the guy. Eventually, it had occurred to Xander that there was a possible source of information. Willow visited her great grandfather in the nursing home every week, and there was a chance that he might know who this Erik person was.  
  
Giles and Xander were going to go visit him and see if he could tell them anything. Angel couldn't go, due to sunlight. Rustling Pines was not accessible by the sewer system, which did make it safer from the assorted "nasties" of Sunnydale, but made it so that Angel could not go there during the day.  
  
He would simply have to see if there was anything he could learn by research while they were gone. He would let them go talk to Willow's great grandfather. He intended to see if he could learn anything more about what Creed had been up to in the more recent decades. He had the feeling that it could be important.  
  
He sat himself down at the computer that Willow normally used. He knew that most of them probably didn't realize it, but he did know a few things about using a computer. He definitely wasn't on the same level as Willow, but he didn't plan to do anything illegal. Just a little tedious research and trying to find one oversized, lethal needle in the internet haystack.  
  
After several hours, Angel had some information. He had carefully written the useful tidbits down on paper, assembling the results of several hours onto two pages of paper. Creed had had a fairly low profile recently, although there was mention in the early part of the century of a Creed, Victor J. listed as a part of the Canadian military, listed as a casualty of World War 2. The information on that Creed was scarce, but it could have been the same person. If so, he seriously doubted that he had died in the war. More disturbing to him, there was somebody listed as Sabertooth, an associate of the mutant terrorist Magneto, who had masterminded an occurrence at the Statue of Liberty during the UN Conference on genetic mutation. Sabertooth matched the description of Creed, although he couldn't find any pictures.  
  
He decided to look up Magneto, perhaps that could give him some clue how Sabertooth, whom he was almost certain was Creed, had ended up here in Sunnydale. He was also curious what connection there was between Willow's cousin Erik and Magneto. He had the feeling that he wouldn't like the information once he found it.  
  
end part 1.  
  
============================  
  
Giles and Xander had gone to Rustling Pines. They had politely asked the secretary if they could please see Oris Rosenberg. After a few moments careful inspection, the woman had nodded slightly. "Down the hall to your left. The third room on the right. If he isn't there, check the courtyard in back, he likes to sit under the large tree." Her voice was calm.  
  
They had found the room easily, and tapped on the door politely. A man's voice, gone fragile and slightly shaky with age, had answered from the inside, "It's unlocked."  
  
Giles had smiled slightly, wondering if the reply was an indication of some awareness of the dangers of Sunnydale. They had entered the room, seeing a very old man sitting in a chair. He had thick lenses set in wire-rimmed glasses, and fringe of grey wispy hair over his head. His eyes were pale, yet very alert. He was a frail looking old man, and had a solid oak cane leaning on his chair. Pictures sat on his dresser, one of them a picture of Willow, Buffy and Xander, with Giles in the back, all smiling at the camera. There was also a picture of another old man, who looked somewhat familiar, although Giles couldn't place why the man in the picture seemed familiar.  
  
"Ahhh, you are Mister Giles, the librarian at Willow's school. And Xander of course, yes, I know who both of you are. Willow speaks about you two often." Oris smiled at the two, curious as to what had brought them to see him.  
  
Giles smiled politely, and sat in the rooms other chair. "Willow has recently left town, and the only explanation that she gave was that her cousin Erik was ill. I confess that we've been a bit worried about her, and we were hoping that you could tell us a bit about this Erik."  
  
Oris smiled. It seemed that Willow's friends would find out about his grandson a bit sooner than she had anticipated. He hoped for her sake that they would take it well. "Yes, Erik is my grandson. My oldest daughter's only child. I'm afraid he doesn't live around here. That's his picture, Erik Lenscherr. He's been ill lately."  
  
After a bit more conversation, they politely left. On the trip back, they were trying to figure out why the name and face seemed familiar. Xander was sure that he'd heard the name. Giles was as well, and it was bothering them both that they couldn't quite place the name.  
  
"Bloody hell!" Giles nearly shouted as he slammed on the brakes of his car. It had suddenly fallen into place where he had heard the name Erik Lenscherr. The implications were very disturbing.  
  
"Whoa, Giles! Are you trying to get us killed? What's with the sudden stopping?" Xander looked worried, his hands braced against the dash, eyes wide.  
  
"I just figured out where I've heard the name Erik Lenscherr before. That is the name of Magneto, the mutant responsible for disrupting the UN conference at the Statue of Liberty. The one who essentially stopped the mutant registration act with the comparisons he made at his trial. The person accused of plotting to kill the entire United Nations delegates. Is any of this sounding familiar to you?" Giles sounded very worried. It was the tone usually reserved for a prophecy of impending doom and the possible end of the world.  
  
"MAGNETO?!? Willow's sick cousin Erik is Magneto? oh, man, Wills... Magneto... oh..." Xander's voice went from shocked dismay to thoughtful as the implications soaked in.  
  
Willow had felt rather groggy after the surgery, and she could still feel from where they had taken the marrow. It burned and ached. It was worth it though, to help Erik. She had finally gotten the chance to talk to him after the surgery. Dr. Hause had been present, supervising the visit, along with one of the guards from the prison. It didn't matter that that they were there; she had actually been able to talk to Erik for real.  
  
Sometimes words on paper just weren't the same.  
  
They had talked, about little things and bigger things. She had told him how much it meant to her to have somebody care, and that he had written to her. She had yelled at him for trying to keep his illness a secret from her. He had told her that he was only worried about her. She had hugged him, and whispered a "thank you" for his special present: her very own bodyguard. They had enjoyed their talk very much, and Willow had been reluctant to go, awash with all the released emotions.  
  
Unfortunately, she had to return to Sunnydale. She couldn't stay away forever, and she was certain that Giles would be worried sick about her. The X-Men were probably most anxious to be away from Vic again, having some definite unhappy feelings there. So, they arranged to return to Sunnydale in the X-Men's plane. Willow hadn't even known that they had their own plane, and had asked numerous questions about it.   
  
It had been a long, tense trip back. At least they didn't loose their luggage.  
  
Willow had politely thanked the X-Men for taking her to see her cousin. She didn't mention the fact that at some point of the trip, every single one of them had tried to caution her about Sabertooth, telling her that he was tempermental and dangerous, telling her that she shouldn't trust them. She had reacted the essentially the same on each occasion, thanking them for their concern, but saying that she had faith in Vic, and he wasn't going to hurt her.  
  
Watching the sleek black plane fly away, Willow sighed with relief. "Well, I'm glad that's over with."  
  
end part 2.  
  
============================  
  
Angel sat at the computer, looking at the two pages he had found in his research on Creed, and his information on Magneto, who during his trial had given his name as Erik Magnus Lenscherr. The same Magneto who had held control of Sabertooth. The thought crossed his mind, a remote possibility, the sort that anywhere else would have staggering odds against it. Could Willow's cousin Erik not have a connection, but actually be Magneto? If this hadn't been the Hellmouth, he would be certain that the idea was ridiculous. As it was...  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Xander and Giles. They had returned from the nursing home, and apparently a large sleek black aircraft had flown over them. Xander was saying it looked somewhat military, claiming that it had design similarities to the SR-17 Blackbird aircraft, designed by Lockheed-Martin for the US military. Apparently, he had a bit of holdover from his Halloween soldier days.  
  
"What did you learn? Did her great grandfather know anything about her cousin Erik?" Angel asked the question, half expecting the answer.  
  
"Magneto. Her cousin is Erik Lenscherr, the only child of her great grandfather's eldest daughter. It's Magneto, the mutant responsible for interrupting the United Nations delegation..." Giles began, his voice going into something resembling one of Willow's babbles, but a bit more like ranting.  
  
"Way to go, Deadboy. I'd just managed to get him to calm down about that. Any idea why on earth Willow would be writing to him anyhow?" Xander's voice held a bit of exasperation and confusion. Willow was doing things he didn't understand, and Xander didn't like not understanding what Willow was up to.  
  
"Why am I not surprised.... Right, Magneto. She's writing to him because she's Willow. She cares, even about people that she has no logical reason to care about or trust. It's part of what makes her Willow." Angel had wondered what the connection was. Her great grandfather's daughter's son... it made sense in a terribly Hellmouth-y sort of way.  
  
Xander dropped into the chair, in a single, almost boneless motion. He looked as if the discovery had sapped his energy, leaving him unable to do anything but consider the implications. Suddenly, he sat upright, his eyes wide with worry. "If being a mutant is caused by your genes, which run in families... does that make Willow a mutant?"  
  
Giles took his glasses off, cleaning the lenses with a handkerchief from his pocket. "I don't know. She isn't a direct descendant... there's no way that speculation can tell."  
  
Meanwhile, Willow and Victor returned to her house, carrying their luggage with them. Rather, he carried the luggage, insisting that Willow shouldn't put the weight on her after the surgery. He was determined to make certain she took the time to recover. She had reassured him that Erik was as well as could be expected. He had been fed, and there were no signs that any violence had been used on him, only his sickness was against him.  
  
She was confident that her parents wouldn't have realized that she was gone. They had left on a trip of their own, and even if they had remembered to call home and check in, the fact that the machine would have picked up wouldn't bother them. She had told Giles that she was going... well, Giles might be a bit upset. Angel had, after all, convinced Giles that Victor Creed was dangerous. hmm did that mean that Angel would be worried about her?  
  
Willow abruptly frowned, angry with herself for the little stirring of something that the idea had caused. No more hopeless feelings towards unattainable people. Angel was Buffy's boyfriend. Angel loved Buffy, and Buffy loved Angel. At least, she was fairly certain that Buffy loved Angel. Anyhow, she should not be entertaining thoughts about her best friend.. her only female friend's boyfriend.  
  
Willow frowned again. How was it that she'd ended up with only Xander and Buffy as friends? She supposed that she could now count her cousins Lily and Cris as friends, possibly their friend Zack as well, and maybe Kitty, Bobby, and Jubilee. They had promised to stay in touch by means of email. She didn't want her life to be so empty that all she had were Buffy and Xander. She would stay in touch as much as possible.  
  
end part 3.   
  
Xander went by Willow's house the next day, uncertain if she would be back, now or ever. She had been gone for two weeks, gone with this Creed guy that made Angel nervous and a few complete strangers, in an effort to help her cousin Magneto. She could be horribly mauled, lying dead somewhere... or suffering some horrible fate.. or.. sitting on her front porch drinking lemonade with that Creed guy. He was huge, all muscles and this shaggy mane of hair. Xander was reminded of a lion.  
  
"Willow! You're back, and you're safe, and oh, am I glad to see you." Xander had to talk to her.  
  
"Ahhhh Wills? Did you know that this cousin Erik of yours is... umm Magneto?" Xander didn't know quite how to be tactful about this. The huge guy that on closer inspection had wicked looking claws was an inspiration though. "He's umm in prison you know. And - I gotta ask - where did he come from?" The last part was accompanied by a small gesture at Creed.  
  
Willow simply grinned at him. "See, I knew you could be more tactful. Yes, I knew that my cousin Erik was Magneto.. I've been writing letters to him and I'd have to have been pretty upset if he tried to hide that, and besides, it was the whole trial thing that let me find him anyhow, so I knew that to begin with. He got worried about Sunnydale not being safe after the whole thing with Marcie, and so he decided to send me a bodyguard, and that's when Vic showed up. Want some lemonade?"  
  
Xander blinked, feeling like things were spinning off-center, at an angle from normal. "Sure, lemonade sounds good, I guess."  
  
He accepted a glass of cold lemonade, and carefully sat down, putting Willow between himself and Creed, who was watching him with dark, unreadable eyes. He drank some of the lemonade while trying to figure out how to say what he wanted to ask. "Umm, Wills? Why were you writing letters to the guy that tried to kill the UN delegates? 'Cause we've been trying to figure it out, and all anyone could come up with was Angel saying it's cause you're Willow."  
  
Willow sighed, putting her glass down on the little lawn table that had been pulled up to hold the tray of lemonade. "Why does everyone ask that? First the X-Men, then the doctor and the guard, and now you guys... He was not trying to kill the delegates. There are hundred of simpler things he could have done if that was a goal, and his device doesn't seem to work like that anyhow. He was all alone in that prison, and he didn't have anyone, and he's family, so I sent him a birthday card, well, actually, me and Opa both did, and then he wrote back... you know, I'm getting very tired of having to explain this to everybody. maybe I should just get it printed up on cards or something..."  
  
Xander was stunned by this outburst of words. "The X-Men? You've met the X-Men? and how do you know how the machine works anyhow? I thought they hadn't figured it out yet?"  
  
"Two." The word was in a deeper voice, with a slight growl to it.  
  
Xander jumped slightly. He certainly hadn't forgot that the big man was over there, but he hadn't expected him to talk, or sit there calmly drinking lemonade for that matter. His look of blank surprise was almost understandable then.  
  
"There were only two X-Men and three of their students." With a slight grin, Creed finished the sentence.  
  
Willow nodded slightly, and then smiled. "I hacked into the files to find out what the machine was, and I've been working on figuring it out for myself, since it was a bit damaged when they found it. Still not entirely certain what it did, but it seemed to take in some sort of energy, probably from Erik and change it so that it did something else... anyhow... that's not the point."  
  
"Ummm... apart from saying that the idea that you're related to Magneto, the scariest old man in the world, I was worried about you being gone. Since you're back, Tracie and I are having another picnic at the park, if you want to join us. You might want to go through the whole calm down thing with Giles and Angel too. They were a bit weirded by the whole thing."  
  
=====  
  
Willow waved a farewell to Xander as he left, then called Giles and went thorough the whole thing about Magneto again. Vic was snickering the whole time, finding it very amusing. Especially since he could hear Giles voice, although he did sound a bit tinny over the phone. He couldn't wait for round three, with this Angel person, he was pretty sure Willow had mentioned that he was a vampire, but he figured things would still get pretty interesting.  
  
Willow eventually made her way to the park bringing a bag of pretzels with her to meet Xander and Tracie for their picnic, or at least stop in and say hello. They had decided that Vic would hang back some, since he made everyone a bit nervous. He'd be close enough to help if Willow needed him, and he could see just how observant the boy was. She suspected that he rather enjoyed making Xander nervous, he didn't seem to fond of him.  
  
Ah well, time for the picnic. She spent some time chatting with them about various small things, and came to the conclusion that Tracie seemed to make Xander happy. She just hoped that there wasn't some evil ulterior motive.  
  
Vic didn't look quite happy on the way back. He looked like he'd bit something sour. Finally, Willow decided to ask him what was on his mind. She didn't expect his answer.  
  
"That girl, Tracie. She smells a lot like Mystique, like scales and secrets. She isn't Mystique, but.. they smell a lot alike."  
  
end part 4.  
  
Willow wasn't certain what to think about Victor's announcement. Tracie smelled like Mystique. Mystique had been one of the people that had worked with her cousin Erik. What had he said about her? Willow frowned slightly as she tried to remember her cousin's words about the few people that had been with him. Suddenly, she remembered what it had been. A blue scaled mutant woman that could change her shape, with red hair and solid yellow eyes. The description sounded like something else she had seen somewhere. She could let her mind work on that. She had a staff lesson with Giles this evening.  
  
Victor was watching the lesson, pointing out when Willow's balance was off. He noticed that Giles was nervous about him, which wasn't particularly surprising. People were normally nervous around him, even when the didn't know who he was. She was making excellent progress though. Eventually, the sun set, and there was another person watching Willow practice. It was the vampire. He looked over, seeing the vampire lurking in the shadows, watching him, watching Willow.  
  
Eventually, the practice came to an end, Willow and Giles both breathing hard and damp with sweat. Willow's eyes were bright, and she looked fairly cheerful.  
  
"Willow? Could I talk to you for a moment?" Angel spoke, wanting to understand Willow's reasoning for keeping the large man behind her, wanting to understand about Magneto.  
  
She handed the staff back to Giles, and sighed. "here we go with round three, or three for Sunnydale. More like seven or eight overall."  
  
She walked over to where the vampire stood, and looked at him. "Please tell me this isn't going to turn into yet another round of 'Willow, he's dangerous', because I'm getting very tired of that talk."  
  
Angel was a bit surprised at that opening statement. It was more confident that he'd expected from Willow. "Which 'he' am I not supposed to tell you is dangerous? Creed or your cousin Magneto?"  
  
Willow frowned slightly. "Either of them. Xander went all paranoid about cousin Erik being Magneto, and was afraid of plots and scary plans. Giles was all wigged about Vic, and stammered a few things bout him being dangerous that I know came from you. I happened to be in the library when you did your whole 'the new big scary in town is Creed' thing, and I heard most of that. Wait, that's where that description sounds familiar... the big book... um, off topic. I don't want another round of 'He's dangerous' about either of them, is that clear?"  
  
"Willow..." Angel had barely started his caution when Willow's temper got the best, her words nearly exploding from her.  
  
"NO! I do not intend to let you or anyone else convince me to abandon my cousin Erik to the loneliness and solitude of prison. I intend to keep writing to him, and maybe I'll go visit him again. Not only that, but he's going to recover from his cancer because I gave him some bone marrow BECAUSE HE'S FAMILY! I do not desert my family! Not because they make you twitchy, or Xander, or even if they make Buffy Twitchy. It didn't work when the X-Men tried to say he was dangerous, and it isn't going to work when you say he's dangerous."  
  
Her eyes were furious, bright with emotion, and maybe something else. He could feel something, he wasn't certain what shift slightly in the air around him. Glancing quickly to the side, he saw little sparkling bits of metal dancing in the air, as well as one of the small axes that Giles had left out swirling slightly, suspended in the air by... something. Her finger was jabbing into his chest with each insistent sentence.  
  
"Furthermore, I don't want to hear you saying anything about Vic being dangerous either! Yes, he's big and strong and has done scary things in the past. Guess what, so have you! You don't act that way now, neither does he! I know he's tough, we killed that Ik'Tarin, even if he was the one that did most of the work. So I don't want to hear you or anyone else saying that I shouldn't have him around! Is that clear to you?"  
  
Willow's eyes were intense, glaring at him with a confidence he hadn't expected. She had really found herself recently, and he'd missed it. Judging from the stunned look on Giles face, he wasn't the only one to have missed it. He found it quite appealing, in more ways than one.  
  
"Right, I got it... no telling you that Victor Creed or your cousin Magneto should be avoided because of danger." Angel's voice was a bit soft, slightly huskier than normal. "I'll just... go away now." With that, he left.  
  
"Willow? Are you... are you holding that axe in the air? I was intending to polish it a bit..."  
  
Giles' slightly nervous voice pulled Willow from her thoughts about everyone worried about her family. He seemed perturbed, balanced between nervous and intrigued. She turned to see what he was focused on and saw the axe hanging in the air, spinning at an angle. There were other little bits of metal in the air. She could feel each one, tell exactly where it was, feel it's flavor and how easy it would be to move it around.  
  
"Oops. Ummm sorry about that, Giles. I'm still getting the hang of this." She smiled apologetically at Giles, hoping to calm him down. She could see Vic, smiling and trying not to laugh. Focusing her will slightly, she let the axe gently float down to the table, and put the little bits into a small pile by the recycling bin at the corner of his house.  
  
"What... how... could you kindly explain that... display with the axe?" Giles was trying to understand. He was used to demons. He even had a slight acquaintance with magic. That wasn't magic, there hadn't been a 'feel' of magic, but there had definitely been... something. He wanted to understand what had happened, how much Willow had changed.  
  
Willow sighed, and walked over to one of the chairs. This could be a long night. Now, she had to explain to Giles. Vic stood behind her, one hand resting on her shoulder in silent reassurance. "Ummm... I'm a mutant. Like my cousin Erik, sort of. I mean, there's the same section of deviated genetics, I could show you on the genetic compatibility tests I took to see if I could donate. So, I can manipulate magnetic fields, move metal things. Only, I only found out about it a short time ago, so I'm still getting the hang of everything."  
  
end part 5.  
  
=====  
  
Giles wasn't certain what to do. He sat down in the chair, trying to think logically about this, but his mind kept focusing on the image of the axe, twirling in the air. It was easy enough to consider the idea of Willow as a mutant when it was all theoretical, but now that it was clear fact, he felt lost.  
  
The idea that a few twists of DNA could enable Willow to levitate an axe... it was very unsettling. He wasn't panicking only because he knew that this was Willow, the same sweet, caring, compassionate girl that she had always been, even if she had seemed a bit distant lately. Something clicked inside his mind, and things took on a new perspective to him.  
  
  
  
"Willow? How long have you known that you were a mutant? Is this why you've been a bit.. distant lately?" Giles wasn't certain how she would answer, but he was certain that he had the right direction.  
  
"I didn't know at first." She sat in the chair, sipping at the ice water that had been waiting for her after her workout. She wasn't looking Giles in the eye, looking at his shoulder, or his gesturing hand instead. She was afraid of what she might see in his eyes. "I.. I had suspicions. Remember when everyone was having those nightmare reality things? Two of mine had to do with the idea of being a mutant. One was ... there was an angry mob and they were going to stone us... me for being a mutant. The other... the other was me being thrown out of the school for hiding my mutation from everyone, and Snyder was telling me how my future was ruined because nobody would let a known mutant into collage. So, I guess they were telling me that I thought... that it was possible, the consequences scared me."  
  
She was wiping the condensed water from the sides of the cup, tracing equations on the arm of the chair with the moisture on her finger. They evaporated quickly, leaving no trace on the chair but a hint of coolness. She still wasn't looking into Giles eyes. "I had a few clues happen in San Diego, but.. they were little things, things that could have been pure coincidence. They got me thinking, but... it didn't click until the Ik'Tarin. It was trying to get me, and Vic jumped it... there was fighting..."  
  
Willow's eyes looked dark as she remembered the horrifying sight of the Ik'Tarin, half emerged from the sewer, ripping at Vic with it's tentacles. "I wondered if those little things meant that I had some sort of power. I made the manhole cover move, and it hit the Ik'Tarin. That was the first time I did anything deliberately. I tried something again, a few days after that... and it worked as well. I've been trying to tally up all the little 'could be's' that were trying to tell me. So, I'm a mutant. Nothing can change that, not an option. Sounds like something I can deal with... if I have people with me who care. I think that's what happened to Erik, he didn't have anyone with him to make sure he kept caring."  
  
Giles considered that idea. It wasn't the sort of thing people usually said about Magneto, but he had already learned that Willow didn't do things the normal way. It seemed like a reasonable enough idea, which implied that having a good group of friends could be very important in the future. " I will be here for you Willow. This doesn't change who you are, only what you can do. Ermm... will this have an impact on your ability to manipulate that... dread machine?"  
  
Willow could only giggle. She had told Giles that she was a mutant, and he had found the perfect way to assure her that all would be well: he insulted the computer. Xander would hopefully either have no problems because she was still 'Wills, his bestest bud' or be a bit freaked and adjust to the whole thing. She wasn't certain how easily she could deal if he freaked and rejected her. Amy would hopefully be pretty cool about it, after all, she had her own witchy powers that could do some impressive things. She had no idea how Buffy would react, but both Buffy and Amy would be back from their summer breaks pretty soon. It was good to know that she still had Giles on her side.  
  
She also made a not to go to the school library and get that big book of demons that she'd found the Ik'Tarin listed in. There had been a picture in there that had seemed a lot like the description of Mystique. Could it be that Mystique and Tracie were not mutants but demons? If they were, what were the traits and dietary habits of their species? Or... were there mutant demons as well as mutant humans? If there were, did they have the whole acceptance issues like humans did?  
  
  
  
"I have to many thoughts." Willow muttered to herself as she prepared to go home for the night.  
  
end part 6.  
  
Amy was getting home today. She was waiting at the bus stop along with Vic, anxious to see her friend. While Amy had written over the summer, it wasn't quite the same, and some of the things Willow hadn't felt safe putting on paper. So Amy didn't know that Willow was a mutant yet; she didn't know that her cousin Erik, that she'd gone to visit, was Magneto; she didn't know that Vic was her very own bodyguard...  
  
Willow knew that she had a lot to talk about, and she could only hope that the talk went smoothly. Maybe Amy's summer had included her own share of too freaky for paper, and they could trade weird stories. She could feel herself fidgeting, and tried to stop, knowing that it accomplished nothing productive. Besides, her power seemed to slip out when she was having strong emotions, maybe getting all nervous would result in the metal trash can doing a hula dance or something. Giggling at that bizarre mental image, Willow was able to calm down enough to wait for Amy.  
  
Eventually, the bus arrived, sending a cloud of dust laced with exhaust fumes towards the scattered waiting people. The air felt hot and slightly sticky with humidity. Willow stayed back as the horde of people poured out of the bus. At the very least, it was several hours from LA to Sunnydale, and who knew how many of those people had all ready been on the bus before that? They wanted out right now, and it was safest to give them space.  
  
Finally, as the crowded mass of people dispersed, she saw Amy, holding a few bags near her. Amy had gotten a nice tan and was dressed casually in denim shorts and a tank top with a triangular Celtic style knot on it. Her hair had been cut slightly shorter, and was back partly to her natural darker blonde-brown with honey gold streaks over the top as highlighting. It looked nothing like what her mother had done with her hair, which may in fact have been the whole point. Amy looked up, smiling when she saw Willow, and began moving the luggage over with her towards her friend.  
  
"Willow! I've missed you over the summer!" She cheerfully gave Willow a hug, and whispered softly "You do know there's a really big guy just lurking there behind you, right?"  
  
Willow grinned at Amy. "I've had quite the summer. This is Vic Creed... Ummm... the details are part of that whole interesting thing. He's with me, I can give you the details on the trip back to your house. Or... ummm... maybe you can tell me some about your summer instead? It's good to let others talk... " Willow was trying not to babble.  
  
They laughed a bit on the way to the car, and finally, as the things were being loaded, Amy asked what was wrong with Willow, she'd lost a bit of weight and was limping a bit. Then, with a twinkle in her eye, she'd suggested feeding Willow brownies to fatten her up.  
  
After a few giggles in the back while Vic drove the car, Amy agreed to tell a bit about her summer first. She explained that she'd met a few of her mom's relatives, and they'd actually been pretty nice, nothing at all like her mom was... well, except that they were witches, too. Not just people that followed an alternate system of belief, but people that could cast spells. They had been worried about her, and had insisted of giving her a bit of basic training. Her dad had managed to convince himself that there was no magic, they had just done lots and lots of shopping. Amy had looked like she was worried that Willow would be worried about the witches in her family, but Willow had just said that it was cool that she had some relatives that could teach her how to use her abilities.  
  
Amy had also spent a good deal of time outside, learning what the power in somewhere that didn't carry a strong evil taint felt like. She said that that part had been very soothing, like sitting in front of a cozy fire in the winter instead of feeling like she stood near a roaring bonfire in June. She'd met hordes or people, and had actually had a few cute guys flirting with her.  
  
Finally, Willow explained that the weight loss and limp were a result of the surgery that she'd had. Then, she'd had to explain about just how sick her cousin Erik had really been, and what she'd done to help him get better. Amy had listened, her eyes growing very wide as the story progressed.  
  
"Willow? You said his old friend sent his students to find you to help your cousin Erik... What does this old friend do that he can send people off like minions? For that matter, what does Erik do?" Amy looked torn between surprise and amazement.  
  
Willow tugged lightly on Amy's hand, pulling her to sit on the couch. She couldn't think of a way to explain this quickly and gently. "Actually, his old friend runs a private school, but I didn't actually meet this friend, whose named Charles Xavier. As for what does my cousin do... umm he's Magneto."  
  
Amy's mouth opened and closed a few times while she tried to make sense of that. Finally, she managed words. "Magneto? The mutant that could lift police cars with his thoughts and really freaked out the United Nations delegates? Locked away in prison Magneto?" Willow nodded to her, confirmation that yes, her cousin was that Magneto.  
  
"Whoa... That's... umm how's the really big guy come into this picture? Since your cousin's a mutant, does that mean you are too? Can you do things? Is it neat, or scary?" Amy was apparently curious, and began asking questions.  
  
Willow smiled, pleased that Amy wasn't freaking out. "I've been writing letters to Erik, which you knew. Sometime after Marcie went invisible but before the giant frog demon, he decided to send me my very own bodyguard." Willow gestured towards where Vic now lounged, his pose seemingly relaxed. "Angel doesn't trust him because he's dangerous, Giles 'oh dear' -d, Xander stammered..."  
  
Quickly checking that internal 'feeling' that told her where the metals she could manipulate were, Willow carefully floated up a small metal knick-knack that Amy had brought back with her, and floated it at roughly the level of Amy's shoulders. " I am a mutant, just like my cousin. They found that when they did the gene testing. It's sort of neat, and a bit scary. I can float things, and umm I think I killed this one guy's cell phone. I think I'm going to have to learn the hard way though, I doubt they'd let Erik out of prison so he could teach me the fine points of controlling my mutant power."  
  
They spent the rest of the evening talking about their summers, and the neat but sort of scary things they had learned they could do. They also had brownies, which Vic didn't have to steal this time. He lurked out of the immediate room, giving the girls some space and the idea of privacy. It was a relief to know there was someone they could talk to about their new 'gifts.' Here was someone that not only wouldn't think they were either crazy or dangerous, but would understand exactly the feeling of both empowerment and something that Amy described as 'Whoa... what if it gets away?' that they had about these powers.  
  
End part 7.  
  
=====  
  
Willow had gone to the school library, and found the book with the pictures of the demons. Vic had followed, smirking a bit about her breaking into the school. He looked around a bit while she turned the pages, until her words brought him back to her side.  
  
"Vic? Can you look at this picture? Did Mystique look like this when she wasn't pretending to be someone else?" Willow was pointing at the picture she had remembered. The illustration was of a humanoid female, with solid pale eyes and a clearly visible pattern of scales over her body. She was drawn naked.  
  
"Yeah. That's pretty much how she looked." He looked over the words for a few moments. "A demon? I thought she was a mutant? Or did whoever get mixed up and think she had to be a demon?"  
  
Willow looked very thoughtful about that. "I'm not sure. It lists the Darrakk Holmesh as a species of demon, and there have been sightings going back seven hundred years. There have been multiple individuals sighted, including up to an adult and two youngsters at one time. So... it sounds like there's at the very least multiple of them. Maybe... if there was a mutant like that seven hundred years ago, they probably would have been mistaken for a demon. No record of ever seeing a male like that though... only females."  
  
She paused to look over the information carefully, copying down notes from the paragraphs. "Limited shape-shifting to human shapes of similar mass... diet similar to humans, which could have meant they eat the same things we do if they can get it. Looks like these people, be they 'demons' or mutants try to just live their lives about the same as humans do. Biggest thing listed as a danger in here is the whole shape-shifting thing. I wonder... if there had been a scaled mutant, would that be a dominant genetic trait, so that all her children would be like her? Or... wait, why wouldn't there be any boys then?"  
  
"Getting to complicated for me, Red. I can say, that's what she looked like. Tracie and Mystique smelled similar, like they were the same type of creature, but not the same person. What do you intend to do about it?" He looked thoughtful. If Mystique was a demon, then... how much difference did it make? Did it make any at all?  
  
"Do about it... Ummm, I guess I just want to talk to her and get a few answers. Like, is she planning something terrible for Xander? World conquest or destruction? Violent random actions? If she isn't, well, no problems. If she isn't planning anything bad, it doesn't really make a difference if she's not a normal human girl... oh, has she told Xander? Will she tell Xander? Oh my, and I've gone off topic again, haven't I?"  
  
Vic had only chuckled at her expression, and they had left the library, Willow's page of careful notes folded into her pocket and the book returned to the shelf. She had locked the door behind her, and they had left, discussing how to talk to Tracie to get the answers that Willow was looking for.  
  
Finally, Willow found Tracie in the park, looking like she was just getting ready for a run. Smiling slightly, Willow spoke to her. "Tracie? I have a few questions for you."  
  
Tracie turned, looking at Willow with a hint of confusion and unease. "What sort of questions?"  
  
"Let's start with have you told Xander that you're a shape-shifter yet?" Willow had a small smile, meant to look non-threatening. It apparently didn't look that way to Tracie, who nearly collapsed onto a nearby park bench, her expression fearful.  
  
"How did you find out... What do you want from me?" Her voice was tinged with fear and despair, and bit softer than normal.  
  
Willow realized that Tracie was afraid of what she would do with this information. She wasn't used to people being afraid of her, it made her feel odd, and caused a funny lump in her stomach. "I just... I want some answers. I guess this means you haven't told him, right?"  
  
They had spoken for a short time, and Tracie had done her best to assure Willow that all she wanted was to try to live a normal life. She wanted to have fun, and learn how to surf, and maybe find a nice guy and have a family. Her secret might be a bit of a problem though. Willow had smiled slightly, and said that as long as she wasn't planning to do really bad things or break Xander's heart, everything was fine, at least between Willow and Tracie. She did suggest that if Tracie wanted a long term anything with Xander, she would eventually have to tell him about it.  
  
Tracie had gone off to have her run, and Willow was left thoughtful as she and Vic went out of the park. "She was afraid. I've never had anyone be afraid of me before. I don't think I like it..."  
  
They had walked a ways more, before Willow spoke again. "I'd better find Xander and talk to him about the whole I'm a mutant thing. Wouldn't do to keep it from him, and I might as well get that talk out of the way."  
  
End part 8.  
  
=====  
  
Willow found Xander walking along the street. He was walking away from his house with his hands in his pockets, although Willow wasn't certain if he had somewhere to go or if he just wanted to avoid hearing his parents arguing again. She waved to him, smiling with more cheer than she actually felt. "Hey, Xan? What'cha doing?"  
  
He looked up, hands still in his pockets, and frowned slightly. There was a bruise forming over his right eye, and he didn't look happy at all. "Hey Wills. Mom and Dad are at it again, so... I'm going somewhere that's not." He slouched a little, as if trying to avoid some blow or unpleasant thought. "So... your cousin Erik is Magneto?"  
  
Willow hadn't expected that, although if Giles had found out, it was only logical to assume that Xander now knew that as well. This would make the whole 'Willow the mutant' idea easier to bring up. "Yeah, he's Magneto. I went to go see him, he was really ill. He's not that bad, really, just very frustrated by the way people don't think sometimes about the consequences."  
  
Xander scowled, looking a bit sullen. "You didn't mention that when you mentioned your cousin Erik, no, I think I'd remember 'he's the guy that broke up the UN meeting, or he's currently locked up in a federal prison."  
  
Willow shrugged slightly. "You were too busy talking about Tracie to want to hear anything beyond 'I've got a cousin, he's related on Dad's side.' So, what happened while I was gone that made you worry about him?"  
  
"That hulking guy behind you, the one that makes Deadboy nervous. Oh, there was also a matter of your house being WIDE OPEN at night, and you GONE with BLOOD in the house!! That could have got me a bit upset. Maybe the fact that your basement had blood all over it, and I ended up looking around with Deadboy outside telling me there's blood in the basement, go check it out... That could have made me worry. The part that flipped me out more was when Giles said you showed up in his house with a monster guy covered in blood and told him you were going out of state for a bit, everything would be cool." Xander wasn't happy. His voice was getting louder as he spoke, with a few words nearly shouted. He was definately not happy about having to work with Angel.  
  
"My house... that would be from Logan and Vic fighting... they have issues, lots and lots of issues. As for the blood, I had to help him get better after the Ik'Tarin beat him up, because it was only because he was protecting me that he got hurt at all... Ummm, I had to go help Erik, he was very sick, that's why the X-Men were here, they wanted to find me to see if I could help Erik... which I could, and did, and then I came back, I hope that you liked the souvenirs I brought you." Willow was thinking, trying to remember everything about the night she had left Sunnydale. The house standing open... Yeah, that had probably looked very bad.  
  
"So, are you a mutant too? Gonna scare people like your cousin?" His words were quieter now, back to a normal volume. They were heavy with emotions.  
  
Willow couldn't decipher all the subtexts in Xander's words. She knew that everything wrong wasn't because of her or Erik, but it gave her a bad feeling for how the conversation would go. When she answered, her words were quiet. "Yeah, I am a mutant. There was a gene test while I was out of state... it said that I'm a mutant, like Erik is."  
  
"A mutant! Like your cousin?!? Like the guy who nearly killed several hundred ambassadors! Way to pick your family Wills. Way to pick who you want to get to know better! He's a convicted felon! Terrorist! Bad Guy! This isn't like getting into the advanced classes Wills, this is majorly weird and bad and... I'm outta here." Xander's eyes had grown very wide, and he was definitely freaking out. A lot. He was already upset, and this revelation about Willow's mutation was the final thing, causing everything to boil over. He was practically shouting, and then he stomped off, glowering and muttering about mutants being dangerous.  
  
Willow watched Xander storm away, distantly wondering why he looked all blurry before realizing that it was the tears in her eyes distorting her vision. Xander hadn't taken it very well. He was so busy being upset by her relative that he assumed that she'd turn out the exact same way. She felt numb inside, as if something had been inside had been hit very hard, the sort of blow that leaves you numb for a while before the throbbing pain began.  
  
The bright sunshine felt harsh, almost unnatural. The shadows were to crisp, to dark. She felt like the birds shouldn't be chirping anymore, as if there should be some sign of this... this rejection from the person that had been her friend forever.  
  
"Xander?" The barest whisper, full of shocked disbelief and pain emerged from her lips.  
  
Vic placed a hand on her shoulder and led her away to a remote section of the beach, and they just sat there, watching the waves crash on rocks, sending a spray of water into the air. Willow's face was damp with tears, and she sat there, her knees pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped around them, pulling herself into a small huddled mass of pain. Vic sat with her, hoping that she would recover from this. He knew that not all wounds were to the flesh and the wounds of the soul and heart could cut far deeper than any bodily injury.   
  
End part 9.  
  
They were still sitting on the beach as the sun set. The brilliant colors looked dramatic over and reflected in the ocean, but Willow paid the setting sun no attention. She was still sitting there, curled up into a knot of unhappiness, a trickle of tears still falling down her now sunburned face. She had wept for hours, sorrowed by her parent's continual abandonment of her, her cousin's illness, her best friend's rejection.  
  
Her tears had slowed though, from a constant flow to a mere trickle. Vic let her sit and cry, hoping that it would help purge the pain from her, like lancing a boil. He made certain that she knew he was here, that he hadn't abandoned her. He had also kept alert, not only to make certain she didn't try to fling herself into the sea, but so that he could protect her if anything tried to attack.  
  
The wind shifted, bringing to a new scent, the scent of vampire and smoke. As the vampire drew nearer, he recognized it as the one she'd called Angel. The one that didn't trust him. Best tell Red. "Red, we have company. The vampire... Angel ... is headed this way."  
  
Willow heard his words, and sniffled. She looked up, her eyes red from crying. She nodded slightly, an acknowledgement of his words. She continued to sit there, pulled into herself as much as possible.  
  
Angel came over the dune and saw Willow all huddled on the sand, her cheeks streaked with tears. She presented a picture of misery. Standing near her, looking slightly worried and very protective was Creed. Angel had no idea what could have caused this. "What happened?"  
  
Willow sniffed again, and managed to croak a single word, filled with pain. "Xander."  
  
Angel had no idea what the redhead could have meant. He had seen Xander earlier, at the Bronze with Buffy and Tracie, Xander's girlfriend. They had all looked quite healthy, Giles hadn't mentioned any prophecies of any sort. Which only left Xander having acted like the idiot that Angel often thought the boy was. He glanced at Creed, hoping for some details, some clue as to what had happened.  
  
Creed gave a slight nod, and stepped away from Willow. He remained clearly in the redheads line of sight, but far enough that Willow shouldn't hear him if he was quiet. Angel followed, certain that the idea was to explain the painful details quietly enough not to set Willow into tears again.  
  
"She ran into the boy earlier. She decided it would be best to tell them she's a mutant, not have them find out by chance later. You and Giles knew, and she told the brownie girl, Amy, about it. So, she decided to tell the boy. Started with he was all pissy because her cousin is Magneto, then he asked if she was a mutant too. She said she was, and he got all obnoxious, made me want to gut him. Called Magneto a terrorist, said she'd turn out just like him. He hurt her bad. Only reason he's still alive is because I can gut him later, but she needed me now. She's been sitting there since afternoon, just crying. No notice of her surroundings." His words were quiet, so as not to upset Willow again, but the anger he felt at Xander's behavior was clear.  
  
Angel considered things carefully. He'd never been very fond of Xander, but it might be more upsetting to Willow if he were gutted. "Let me advise this. Give him a few days to come to his senses and grovel profusely. If he doesn't wise up and apologize to Willow, then gut him. I might even help. She doesn't deserve that sort of pain."  
  
After Tracie had gone home, saying something about having a doctor's appointment early in the morning, Xander had managed to get Buffy to let him go on patrol with her. It was clear from more than his bruised eye that something was bothering Xander. Presumably not his new girlfriend Tracie, whom Buffy had thought seemed fairly nice. Buffy had been gone all summer, it would be good to give her an update on what was happening. They talked about the minor, mundane things until they were well away from the more public areas.  
  
Then, Xander got to what he considered the big, important thing. His voice was caught between hurt, angry, and something else, something that Buffy thought might be fear. "Willow's been keeping secrets. Her cousin's Magneto, and he sent her a pet killer mutant, someone that even makes Deadboy nervous. On top of that, she's a mutant too."  
  
end part 10.  
  
________________________________________________________________  
  
Buffy was left astonished by the anger in Xander's voice. His words were also quite a shock. They didn't make sense to her, she couldn't match them to the shy redhead she knew. "Willow's a mutant? Are you.. are you certain about this? Her cousin... umm Erik? She hasn't said to much about him that I can think of... What do you mean he sent her a pet killer mutant?"  
  
Xander scowled, slouching a bit more. His hands were fisted and shoved into his pockets, and his tousled hair didn't quite conceal the bruise forming over his eye. "Big scary guy, maybe a foot taller than Deadboy. Blond, claws, freaky dark eyes. Angel called him Victor Creed, said he was seriously bad news. He's following Willow, she's keeping him in her basement."  
  
Buffy could feel her head swimming with Xander's words and all the things they could mean. What if Willow was the next big bad? After a few moments, she concluded that she really couldn't see Willow was a serious threat. But, what about her cousin? She could more easily picture someone trying to use Willow to further some devious plot, Willow was alone enough that if someone pretended to be her friend, they might get her to do quite a lot. But, a big scary pet mutant? What next, Willow wearing leather and turning dominatrix on them? Not gonna happen.  
  
She really had to find Willow and talk to her about this. Things weren't adding up right, and there had to be more than just what Xander was saying. She remembered Willow saying that her cousin Erik was older, that he didn't go to Sunnydale High.. had she actually ever said what Erik did, where he was? Try as she might, Buffy couldn't remember anything else other than the fact that Willow had been writing to her cousin.  
  
She puzzled over the few bits of information in Xander's angry words. He'd said that Willow's cousin was Magneto, that he'd sent Willow a scary looking mutant that she was allegedly keeping in her basement, that Willow was supposed to be a mutant. She knew there was more to the story, there had to be something missing, something to make everything make sense. She would have to talk to Willow in the morning.  
  
Willow had been escorted home by Angel and Vic, both very worried about her. She was still very quiet, and still not paying very much attention to her surroundings. She moved like a sleep-walker. Once they had all reached the Rosenberg home, she simply looked in Angel's direction and thanked him for his concern. She'd gone in the house and apparently straight to bed.  
  
Angel had left, confident now that whatever the real reason that Creed had originally come to Sunnydale, he cared for Willow's safety. It was an odd feeling, one he would never have expected. He knew that nothing would be able to go into the house and cause Willow any physical injury, and it felt rather odd to know that it was because Creed was there. Creed was trouble, he was dangerous... he was there for Willow.  
  
Creed had been there for Willow when Xander had hurt her, not her body, but her heart. Creed waited Willow to be safe, and was willing to kill Xander for hurting her. Deep inside, where his bloodlust and demon lived, he felt the same way, wanting to make Xander scream and whimper for making Willow cry like that, for hurting her. He cared about Willow, he just had no idea what to do about it. Well, obviously, it would be considered bad by Buffy and Giles if he killed Xander. He was supposed to be a good guy now, he wasn't supposed to kill humans. But.. Xander had hurt Willow very badly. Willow had accepted him, didn't make him feel awkward because he was a vampire.  
  
Now, it was Willow who was different. She was the one that wasn't 'normal' and it was... something... to see how everyone was handling it. Giles was taking it fairly well, although he could tell the Watcher found it a bit unsettling. From the sound of things, Amy was taking it well. Xander...best not go there again. How would Buffy view this? What would she do in this time when more than ever, Willow needed the support of those around her?  
  
Whatever else happened, he made a vow to himself that he would be there for Willow.  
  
end part 11.  
  
________________________________________________________________  
  
Buffy decided to visit Willow in the morning. She didn't know if anyone had told Willow that she was back from her summer with her dad, but if not, she should be a pleasant surprise. She walked over to Willow' house, and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, she circled around to the back, worried that something might be wrong.  
  
Willow was sitting in the back yard, her back to Buffy, looking at the hedge, which wasn't a particularly impressive view. Sitting next to her... big and scary definitely fit him. He had a mane of reddish blond hair, and he was looking at her with hunter's eyes. She had the feeling that he was not only seeing a blond teen, but watching the movements of her muscles, evaluating her for strength and speed.  
  
He spoke then, a deep gravely voice that sounded infrequently used. "Red, you're pal Fluffy's here. Think she wants to see you."  
  
Willow's answer was automatic, and sounded oddly flat, as if the emotion were drained from her. "Her name is Buffy." There was a moment's pause, and Willow squeaked "Buffy? You're back from LA?!"  
  
She turned to look at Buffy, and it was obvious that her eyes were red from crying, and there were dark circles. She looked paler than normal, and had pulled her legs up in a somewhat protective pose. As if she were nervous, or thought something bad would happen. Buffy tried to look as if nothing was wrong. "Hey, Wills. Umm ... Xander had some ... odd ... things to say about you.... What's up with that?"  
  
Willow's eyes widened at Buffy's words. "You talked to Xander? Ohh... umm... Might as well start at the top then, let me know if you have any questions. Yes, my cousin Erik is Magneto, I knew that he was, I found out he was related after the whole Statue of Liberty and his Trial. Yes, I've been writing to him. No, I hadn't told everyone, but I think everyone knows now anyhow."  
  
Willow stared at her foot, digging slightly at a tuft of grass with her toes. "He was all alone, so we... my great grandpa and I, sent him cards and started writing. He hasn't said anything about plots to take over the world or make any big scenes or... anything. He was very sick over the summer. He was worried about me, I'd wrote about some of the stuff that had happened around here... Marcie and Billy Madison both. He got kind of worried, and sent Vic to keep me safe. Which he's done... there was this giant evil frog thing, and the Ik'Tarin... and he tried to save me from Logan, who was actually trying to save me from Vic, except that I wasn't in any danger from Vic... unless you count that fact that he wanted a very non-kosher pizza as danger, which it really isn't... umm babbling now, sorry."  
  
Buffy looked at Willow, seeing that she didn't look dangerous, she still looked like the Willow that Buffy had left behind, only sadder. There was one other thing that Xander had mentioned that Willow hadn't covered. "Are you a mutant?"  
  
Willow glanced at Buffy, her eyes wary and sad. There was a guarded look in her eyes at the question, something that Buffy hadn't expected to ever see in Willow. "Yeah. I can move metal things. It's the same section of DNA that Erik has.. the same type of ability. "  
  
Buffy's eyes grew wide as Willow spoke. Willow WAS a mutant. She had the same sort of abilities as Magneto... her cousin was Magneto. "Oh... that's... pretty neat Willow. So... you can move metal things by thinking about it. That's... interesting. Umm... I think I have to go, Mom said something about school shopping..."  
  
Buffy made a hasty exit, unaware of the tears glistening in Willow's eyes as yet another person was afraid of her. Buffy had been afraid... nervous about the implications of this mutation, uncertain what Willow could do.  
  
Willow watched her friend leave, watched as Buffy very quietly wigged out about this, and tried not to cry. She had cried over Xander's reaction, and all it had done was make her eyes hurt and itch. She hadn't cried when Tracie had been worried... slightly afraid even, but Tracie wasn't her friend. Tracie might end up as a friend someday, but she was still more of an acquaintance right now, her opinion didn't carry as much impact. It had still left her feeling odd and unsettled. She whispered..." but I don't want people to be afraid of me. I'm not a menace or a big bad... I'm just Willow.  
  
end part 12.  
  
________________________________________________________________  
  
Willow was very quiet that day. She ran much longer than usual, trying to outrun her pain and her worries. It didn't work, but she definitely got her exercise for the day. Somehow, she'd ended up at the Sunnydale junkyard.  
  
Willow looked at the junkyard. It was an abandoned looking place, filled with assorted bits of metal that had once been functional things, crushed remains of cars, heaps of cars that hadn't been compacted, tires, unidentifiable scraps... She could feel the metal, vast quantities of stuff that she might be able to manipulate. There was a tall fence around it, mostly as a boundary, or possibly to prevent the stuff from overflowing and escaping. An idea was starting to form in her mind.  
  
Something almost like a smile flickered over Willow's face. "It's official, I can't outrun my pain, it's right here with me. I can't make it so that people aren't wigging out over this. Maybe.. maybe it's time to find out what I can do with this... ability that I seem to have. What better place than this? I can't hurt any of the stuff here, it's already broken and thrown away. Nobody comes here, so I won't be scaring anyone else."  
  
She moved towards the fence, her posture proclaiming that she had purpose and determination. She looked over her shoulder at Vic, her eyes showing a hint of mischief along with her sadness. "Coming in with me? I think it's time to play."  
  
Vic smiled as she scrambled over the fence. She wasn't quite happy and accepting of everything, but... she was getting to acceptance. She would heal from this. Besides, this could be interesting, he didn't want to miss out. He went over the fence, his own crossing far easier than Willow's had been. "Sounds like fun."  
  
Willow looked around the junkyard, considering how to begin. She might not have had any choice in whether or not she had this ability, but she could certainly be methodical in how she tried to figure out what she could do with it. Hmmm should she try for finding out how much she could lift in weight, or for precision and number of items under precise control?  
  
Willow considered the possibilities, and decided to go for precision over raw weight. After all, this ability was new, what if it flickered out? Wouldn't it be better if it went with only several lightweight things in the air than say, a rusted out crashed car over her head? She looked around again, and suddenly, a group of small metal bits, bolts and small springs, a few scraps from larger items lifted up into the air. They moved around for a while in a cluster, reminiscent of a cartoon swarm of bees. As she continued having them move in lines and arcs, going farther away, and closer, high into the air where she could no longer see them and skimming just over the ground, she began gaining confidence.  
  
With a thoughtful look, Willow gestured, her hands mirroring the effect she wanted from her 'swarm.' The group of flying metal bits suddenly split in two. One half went to the right, staying level above the ground at about ten feet. The other half went left and up, climbing at an angle. Smiling with joy at her success, Willow began attempting to have the two swarms move in different patterns. It would be good practice to see if she could keep them going in two separate patterns, like multi-tasking.  
  
After a while at this, Willow settled the two swarms down into piles, each in a separate location. She didn't notice how they clung together, now carrying magnetic charges. There was a faint sheen of sweat on her forehead, but it was hard to say if that was from the day's heat or from her efforts with the metal bits. Her words were soft, curious. "Erik could lift two police cars and hold them just because he wanted too... can I lift two cars?"  
  
One rusted car, the front of it crumpled into a misshapen mass lifted into the air, rocking slightly. Near it, another car, also crumpled began to lift upwards. They were wobbling slightly, and both lacking in tires, but they were floating about ten feet in the air. Willow grinned, a sudden gleeful expression. She lowered them carefully back to the ground, and turned to look at Vic.  
  
"Well, that was.... educational for me. I think I'm getting a bit of a headache. Shall we go back home?" She looked less sad, as if she had released some of her pain in her efforts with the metal. It still hurt, but she was functioning again.  
  
They stopped for ice cream on the way back to Willow's place. There were no signs that anyone had tried to visit, and a message from her parents saying that they had decided to extend their trip, Willow would have to get her own school supplies this year, using the credit card in 'it's usual place'.  
  
end part 13. 


	11. FT11: Master Plots & Plans

Author: Lucinda

Rating: pg 13

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from BtVS or X-Men/Marvel Comics.

Distribution: Bite Me, WLS, NHA, anyone else, please ask first.

Note: AU from midpoint in season 1. We have now reached the beginning of season 2, having just finished summer vacation. All the Scoobies now know that Willow is related to Magneto & has Victor Creed following her, and that she is a mutant. Reactions varied.

=====

School had started, and Willow was almost glad in some ways, and a bit worried in others. Last year, it had been a good thing to have Xander or Buffy in several of her classes with her. This year, that might not be such a good thing, considering the way they had reacted to the news about her mutation and cousin Erik. It would be far easier to deal with them avoiding her or snubbing her if they were in other classes than if they were in the same class.

She had told Xander Friday, told him that she was a mutant, confirmed that her cousin Erik was Magneto, and Xander had flipped. He'd yelled at her, brought up Erik's conviction, and stormed away. She didn't really remember much else from Friday, just that somehow, she'd ended at the beach staring at the waves under the moonlight, and Angel had shown up. Angel had been worried about her. He and Vic had gotten along quite well as they walked her back to her house.

She remembered Saturday very clearly. Buffy had talked to her, and hadn't liked the news either; Buffy had left, not talking to her. To keep from feeling quite so hurt, she had gone to the junkyard and floated bits of metal around, even managing to lift a pair of beat up cars into the air, even if it was very briefly. That had felt oddly exhilarating and tiring, and Willow had decided that she needed to practice more, to gain better control over her power.

Maybe she could manage to go back to San Diego, visit Crys and Lillian, and talk to Zack again. Maybe he could give her a bit of advice for how to deal with people acting funny because she was a mutant. She considered the idea of emailing Kitty and Jubilee, then reconsidered that idea since they went to Xavier's, where everyone was a mutant, they might not have any advice for her. Eventually, while sitting through English class, she decided to email them anyhow. After all, if she could make a few new friends, especially ones that wouldn't freak out because she was a mutant, it would be a good idea. You could never have to many friends.

Xander was ignoring her, not even glancing at her as far as she could tell. He hadn't walked to school with her that morning, or greeted her on the steps, and she'd felt that, a stinging pain. He was still having trouble dealing with their conversation on Friday.

Making a few new friends was definitely looking like a good idea.

The day progressed, and she found that she had one class and a study hall with Buffy. Buffy was glaring at the history book, not looking at Willow or anyone else. Maybe something was bothering her? Mr. Bell was explaining what they would be covering in class this year, really an effort to avoid any actual teaching on the first day of school more than out of any need to explain what they'd study, after all, the book outlined it's contents pretty clearly. Willow was watching Buffy, trying to figure out why her friend had wigged-out so much about her mutation. She would have thought that of everyone, Buffy would understand the awkwardness of being ... "different."

Buffy went from glaring at the middle of the book to staring blankly at the pages. Her fingers stopped their absent twining through a lock of hair, and she just sort of went very still, and looked as if she was barely breathing. Buffy didn't move, didn't even blink for almost a minute, and then she sort of gave this whole body shudder, and blinked furiously, looking around with an expression of almost panicked bafflement.

Willow was confused. What had just happened to Buffy? She looked as if she'd gone into some sort of a trance, and when she'd come out of it, she had looked worried, as if she thought something dangerous was there. Was this some sort of normal Slayer ability? Trance-like Slayer precognitive daydreams? Was this some new thing for Buffy to get used to or an indication of a big scary evil after the Slayer?

Buffy had looked very shaken by that ... "whatever" that had just happened. Was this the first time that it had occurred? Could it be part of the reason why Buffy had seemed so distant on Saturday? Willow decided to watch Buffy, to see if there was any indication that the Slayer was having more of those little trance episodes. It might be important.

She made her way to the library after school, and arrived just in time to see Buffy stalking away, looking, for all the world, seriously upset about something. She couldn't quite bring herself to ask what was wrong. Instead, she went inside, hoping to talk to Giles. He was sitting at the big table, his head cradled in one hand, his glasses placed on a large book that he'd apparently been reading.

"Giles? You look upset ... what's in the book? Is it a book of big evil things or other bad things? Did you find something that made Buffy get all angry?" Willow needed to know what was going on. It was important, especially if Buffy's episode earlier was a warning of danger.

Giles sighed, rubbing his temples, his eyes still closed. "According to this book, there are certain rituals that would permit a vampire to gain power or knowledge from the bones of a fallen vampire. Most vampires, when slain, leave nothing but ashes, however, when the Master died here just before school ended, his skeleton remained. If vampires, knowing about these rituals, somehow acquired those bones ... it would be a very bad thing."

End part 1.

=====

School had started three days ago and thing were not looking encouraging. Somehow, it had spread through the whole school that Willow was or might be a mutant. People were giving her suspicious looks, watching her as if they thought she would suddenly sprout horns or a tail, or suddenly go berserk and destroy the building. Cordelia was still basically ignoring Willow, but most of her sheep were now tormenting Willow about it, calling her a mutant freak and an outcast, asking why she didn't just go away. They weren't the only ones making such remarks.

Willow had the feeling that she might not be doing as much tutoring this year. Some of the teachers were looking at her funny, not the outright hostility that a few of the students were showing, but more of a general unease and worry. Some of the students didn't look at her with hostility but, instead, with fear, as if they were afraid that she would blast them with fire or vaporize them. Both things hurt her, the fear and the hostility.

Buffy was definitely acting strange. She hadn't really talked to Willow, and at the Bronze, she had done this ... dance ... with Xander. It had left Xander confused and almost intoxicated, and Buffy had simply whispered something to him and walked away, leaving the club without a backward glance, apparently either oblivious or uncaring of the two pairs of anguished eyes that had been watching that dance. One pair belonged to Angel, the other were Tracie's. At school, Buffy had been acting slightly off, not really talking to Xander or Giles either, which oddly enough, made Willow feel a bit better.

She had managed to talk to Giles. While they still didn't know what was bothering Buffy, Giles had said that she was getting really proficient with the Quarterstaff, and had said that if she needed something to do, she could always do a short patrol, provided that she had her body ... err Creed with her. Clearly, it would take Giles a bit longer to adjust to the idea of Victor Creed being her very own bodyguard, but he was trying.

Vic was delighted with the idea of patrolling. Not so much because of the danger to the rest of Sunnydale, but because it would give him something to do. If he was there, he could be fairly confident that she wouldn't get hurt, and he figured that everyone should know how to react properly in a fight.

That was why they were out here tonight, walking through the cemetary in the dark. Willow was trying to think over everything, wanting to understand why Buffy was acting so oddly, why Xander was being such a jerk .... Had he told someone? Was it because of Xander that everyone knew that she was a mutant? If it had been his fault that she was now being treated this way ... or maybe it wasn't his fault. Buffy could have said something. Someone could have seen her practicing at the junkyard. Maybe she'd lost her fragile control during the time on Friday that she couldn't remember. There were several ways that her mutation could have been discovered that weren't Xander's fault.

"Red, is there supposed to be a big hole over there?" Vic spoke, distracting her from her thoughts. He then sniffed, and a low growl rumbled in his chest. "I smell burned flesh from over there...."

"Burned flesh... umm ick. I guess ... we should ... investigate? Wait!" She reached out, touching his elbow. A sudden thought had occurred to her, along with several half formed but gruesome images. "Does it smell like whatever was burned is still here or is it just that it was there earlier, stank, and left?"

"Been and gone, and the hole is recent." His voice was a bit more thoughtful now, as he also wondered what the explanation could be.

Carefully, they walked over to the hole, a gaping disturbance in the earth beneath a large tree. There were some broken boards and a few crosses on the ground, and now Willow could smell it as well. Freshly turned earth and this horrible scorched scent that clung to the back of her throat, making her stomach heave. She looked in the hole, and saw only a few impressions, as if something had been removed from the earth. Something round-ish had been there, long narrow bits here, there a curve going below the round depression like some sort of sick grin.... The scent of burned flesh was stronger here, flowing out like some near tangible presence.

Sudden comprehension flared in Willow's mind just as her stomach gave final warning. She staggered away from the hole, collapsing to her knees by a small clump of flowers, inhaling their scent in a desperate effort to not throw up. The words came out, horrified and half hoping that she was wrong. "That's where Giles buried the Master's bones. Those impressions ... that's where the bones were laying. Giles must have left the crosses there to prevent any of the other vampires from digging up the remains ... crosses burn vampires."

He rubbed her arm, hoping to help her calm down, and they left the gaping hole, going away in hopes of something to distract from that stench and the unsettling question of who had the bones, and what could they intend to do with them.

end part 2.

=====

The rest of the patrol went much better. They found and killed some minions, and this scaly "gray thing" that had attacked them. Willow had made a few discoveries of things that her powers did NOT move, among them the wooden Quarterstaff and smelly vampires. There wasn't any sign of serious 'recruiting' efforts among the vampires, so they eventually returned to the library. Willow was certain that Giles needed to know about the bones of the Master being taken.

Entering the library, Willow saw that Giles had his head in his hands, and several big books opened in front of him. He was glaring at the books, as if they were deliberately frustrating him. He had a cup beside him, presumably containing tea, and his hair was ruffled, as if he'd run his hands though it in frustration.

"Giles? I thought you should hear how patrol went." Willow's voice didn't sound very loud in the dark room.

Giles looked at her, his expression momentarily blank. It was as if in that first moment, he wasn't expecting Willow to be standing there. He shook his head slightly, and looked at her, his eyes inspecting for injury. "Did you have any difficulties? Anything unusual?"

Willow sat down, placing the Quarterstaff on the table in front of her with a slight glare. "Well, the good news is that there was only normal vampire numbers. We only ran into some minions, and they weren't any big trouble. Umm, Giles? Is there some way that we could maybe ... wrap something metal like steel or iron around this thing? It got knocked out of my hands and I can't pull it to me with my powers. Umm ... anyway, there was this gray-scaled demon thing that attacked us. I'm pretty sure I saw it in the books of demons ... a 'Treff' ... something. No special abilities, some armor from the scales, kinda fast, claws, got dismembered in short order."

Willow taped her fingers on the table, trying to think of a way to describe the pit where the master's bones had been. "Giles, that isn't everything, just the fighting parts. There was something else ... something bad and I'm sure that it's just a sign of more badness to come, only I'm not sure what type of bad specifically ... umm. There was this ... gaping pit that reeked of scorched flesh. There were a few crosses on the ground, and it looked like there had been bones in the hole. I think ... I think some vamps dug up the Master's bones and took them elsewhere."

Giles looked very dismayed, and worried at this bit of information. He shifted the pile of books, pulling one to the front. "I had hoped that the holy water I'd poured over the ground would have prevented such a thing. This is most disturbing news. I shall have to try to determine what they intend to do with them."

While Giles looked through the book, attempting to find what might be done with the Master's skeleton, Willow and Vic decided to try to find a way to make Willow's staff a bit more useful. They began searching for some steel cable, and eventually left the library, thinking there might be some backstage or in the shop class storeroom.

They found some steel cables backstage, apparently used for managing some of the props used in the school plays. Willow could feel it, and with a tug of her power, the spool floated over to them. They held the staff steady, wrapping the wire around it, forming a bit of a handle area in the middle, and the wire wrapped along most of staff, leaving the ends free, one of them sharply pointed. When they came to the end of the staff, the top of the wire being held by a small use of power, Willow looked for something to cut the cable with. Vic just smiled, and used a claw to slice through it, much like normal people would use a fingernail in a paper wrapping over a lid.

"Well ... that works. Now we just need something to make the ends stay together permanently. I think there was a small solder gun in the shop; we can just sort of melt the ends and make then stick that way. Now, I'll be able to call this to me if I get jumped by another minion."

"Anyone ever tell you that you're devious?" Vic's voice carried quite well in the hall, echoing through the school. It was accompanied by Willow's amused chuckle.

"Devious? I think that's a compliment."

End part 3.

=====

That night, when Willow checked her email, she found a reply from Jubilee, and also one from Kitty, both about her question of how they dealt with reactions to their mutation. Their answers weren't particularly encouraging. Jubilee's parent's had flipped, resulting in her running away from home. Her parents had later died, rendering the question of 'would they have accepted her in time' a moot point. Jubilee had then made a living in a mall before ending up at Xavier's. Kitty's parents had been slightly better, but she had still been made to feel uncomfortably different every time she visited, and as a result she hadn't actually gone to see her parents in over a year, although she still occasionally called.

Willow sighed, trying to figure out if there was anything that she could do. It bothered her a lot that there were people being hostile, hating her because of a twist of genetics, and it hurt that there were people now afraid of her for the same reason. If she hadn't been dangerous before, why should she be now? The people that were afraid didn't even know about Vic, which would have made it all make sense. She could understand why people were afraid of Vic: he was a huge towering mass of muscles, with claws and fangs and hard to read eyes. But she was hardly a picture of intimidation.

The only person that she could think of asking was Zack, the friend of her cousin's Chris and Lillian, back in San Diego. He had friends, he was near her age, she could ask him how he had coped with being a mutant, and if he had found a way to make people stop looking at him funny in the halls. She definitely wanted to go back and visit once this whole mess with the Master's bones was resolved ... maybe over Labor Day weekend.

That day, Erik Lenscherr had been visited by Dr. Hause, in order to make certain that he was properly healing from the operation, and to check for any signs that they may have missed some of the cancer. He had found that Erik was feeling much better. His color and appetite had both improved, and he was feeling restless. It was as if he'd found a new supply of energy.

They managed a basic exam, and determined that Erik was healing quite well, and faster than expected. Further testing had shown no signs of cancer, although his white count was up as well as a few hormones and enzymes that the purpose of was not fully understood. Dr. Hause was not certain what effect this would have, but he did make a note of it in Erik's medical record. As an interesting side note, a good portion of the new red blood cells in Erik's blood had been produced by the donated marrow, and as such, looked like Willow's blood instead of Erik's.

Dr. Hause wondered if there might be any other mutations in Willow's DNA other than the magnetics. If there were, would a blood transfusion cause any effects in Erik similar to the effects that the deviated DNA would have on Willow? Perhaps that would depend on the nature of any further mutation.

There was so little understood about the new mutations that were being discovered. There were so many abilities that were manifesting that had been thought to belong solely in the realm of fantasy. It was difficult, no, more like impossible to understand what genetic markers indicated what new abilities in most cases. It was a near-miraculous stroke of luck that someone had isolated the particular gene sequence that had enabled Erik to possess and utilize his gift. However, there was still no indication if there were other sections that modified it, or how to tell a weak magnetic manipulator from a powerful one. He wondered how Dr. Hans Dane, a gifted geneticist had managed to find a magnetic manipulating mutant to assist him with his research in the first place.

As far as he knew, the only American researchers releasing papers on genetic mutation that dealt with it, in a calm and professional manner instead of subtly implying that it was a threat, were Dr. Dane, Professor Charles Xavier, a Dr. Essex, a biologist/psycologist called Dr. Jean Grey (who was focusing on the psycological impact of mutation), and a Dr Q. Triska. He was certain that there were others doing their research that weren't trying to paint mutants as "the next Great Menace," but he hadn't seen papers from them. Maybe they weren't in a position to release them. Most papers about genetic mutation seemed to carry an undertone of distress.

If he were to be honest, before he had acquired Erik as a patient, he had been nervous and a bit unreasonable about mutants himself, fearing them as an unknown 'them'. He had worried about mutants much the way that people worried about other nations, or political groups. He had discovered when he became Erik Lenscherr's doctor that there was no vast, unified mutant 'them' lurking out there. There were instead, scattered and frightened people, made different by a whim of fate or creation or God. People that had not chosen this, people who often feared for their lives because people feared that which was different.

Dr. Hause no longer feared the unknown mutant 'they' anymore. He had, without even realizing it, come to see that all mutants were individuals, as varied in their personalities and goals as normal people. There were definitely mutants worth fearing, but others were not frightening at all. Willow was a mutant, and she had flown out of the state on the hope that she could help her cousin recover from illness. Who could fear someone like that?

End part 4.

=====

Charles Xavier had gone to visit his old acquaintance Erik. Several instances of mutant activity had been detected in Sunnydale, and he was curious and concerned about the possibility that this activity might be the result of Erik's young cousin Willow. If it were Willow, then he would have to worry about finding some way to ensure that she was not becoming a danger to society as a whole. Although, considering the simple fact that Willow had an unknown degree of magnetic manipulation and Sabertooth as a loyal bodyguard, he wasn't certain that it would be an easy matter to keep track of her activities. It could be quite problematic, actually. He was hoping that Erik would be able to offer some clarification of the issue. He also wanted to see how Erik was doing after his recent surgery. Hopefully, Erik was recuperating from the surgery, had regained some of the weight that he had lost. Otherwise ... well, cancer was an ugly illness, and the death that it caused was often slow and very painful. Such was not a fate that he would wish on his old friend. Besides, he had so few decent chess opponents these days.

When he entered the cell, he noticed that Erik was not seated at his table, but rather standing near the door, clearly having been alerted by the noise that he had company approaching. He looked ... surprisingly good, considering that he could pass for a man soon to die a bare month ago. Apparently, his health had improved considerably.

"Good afternoon, my old friend. What have they been feeding you, it seems to have worked wonders for your health."

Erik looked at him, an expression that considered becoming a smile on his face. "I don't think it's the food Charles. If anything, it is the return of hope. Well, that and an absence of the cancer."

They made themselves as comfortable as possible at the glass table that housed the chess set, and Erik poured them each a glass of cool water. Passing one glass to Charles, he settled into a chair, clearly pleased to have a visitor.

"So, what has been troubling you lately, Charles? I'm certain that it must be something.... teenaged students tying up the phone lines? Arguments amidst the faculty on the educational content? or is your other chair developing an annoying squeak to the wheel?"

Charles sighed, his attitude much less cheerful than Erik's. "I've been detecting signs of... activity from a small town in California. Oddly enough, it's also the same place that Willow is from. I was actually hoping that you might have some explanation for that."

Erik chuckled, the sound a bit less cheerful that he'd been a few moments ago. "You mean that you want to be reassured that she isn't a danger to you and your dream. I think that it's entirely possible that you're picking her up. If she has the ability, I'm certain that she would want to develop control over it. That requires practice, and time. I've only gotten one letter from her since the operation, and she assured me that she was recovering well, and that her home was no more dangerous than it had been before."

"Does this have some connection to ... hmm ... her new overgrown cat?" Charles was curious, and not at all certain how Willow had gained the co-operation of Sabertooth unless Erik had influenced the process.

Erik smiled, an expression of concern and amusement. " I only sent her a present. The rest was all on her own. She said that she'd been taking some lessons in self defense, and that she had a few good friends that were sticking by her."

"A few good friends. Who wouldn't want a few good friends? Are you certain that the cancer has been completely dealt with? There are no remnant pockets, not lingering pains?" Charles seemed a bit reflective at the thought of friends sticking by, and was clearly trying to change the subject to Erik's medical health in an effort to avoid or delay introspection about the difficulty of mutants gaining and keeping friends. It was not an easy thing for most mutants.

The rest of his visit was fairly pleasant, and they discussed neutral topics, at least, neutral for them. Recent weather, a play that Charles had recently attended, one that Erik had recommended to him. There was a brief period where Charles updated Erik about the current political discussion concerning mutants, but that didn't stay very neutral for long, and they changed the topic. Overall, it went fairly well.

End part 5.

Willow and Vic continued to patrol. Buffy was acting odd, strangely distant and snappish. Giles was busy trying to learn what could be done with the Master's bones. Xander and Tracie were doing the "datey-coupley" thing, and Xander was trying to keep Tracie from learning what went bump in the night. And while everyone was having their personal issues, there were still vampires out hunting, wanting to eat people.

Vic tensed slightly, before a low, growly whisper came out. "I can smell a vampire, and a girl, that snippy dark haired girl with the sports car. The vampire isn't Angel. We'd better go over."

Willow's eyes widened slightly. "Cordelia? Cordelia's with a vampire? This is the hard part about being one of the good guys... she doesn't like me. Can't stand me, and she's utterly freaked out that I'm a mutant..." Her muttered grumblings continued as they moved closer, circling around slightly so that the vampire wouldn't see them.

Cordelia was there, her usually immaculate hair tousled and messy, with a bit of something pale clinging to it near her ear. There were little bits of things clinging to Cordelia's expensive dress, and a few damp spots on it as well. She seemed to be talking to the guy beside her, someone who appeared to be well dressed, neatly groomed, and looked human.

She was explaining about how this 'annoying blonde' from her school 'went completely psycho' and pushed her into the trash, in front of all her friends, and completely humiliated her. The guy seemed to be listening, and as she talked, they were walking, and the guy was subtly steering them away from people, towards somewhere that would be to far away for help, even if she screamed.

"He's up to no good. Luring her off somewhere secluded... probably wants to make her scream. Maybe plans to take his time, kill her slowly.... This isn't an amateur, not like those minions." Vic's voice was low, and carried a confidence in the vampire's motivations that Willow really didn't want to probe into right now.

They followed, closing the distance. Seclusion would work for them as well, if Cordy screamed, they wouldn't have to explain the vampire to anyone. Either that, or Willow would get a reputation for being able to disintegrate people if she touched them... now, that was a depressing idea. Willow was watching the vampire, trying to get a feel for how well he would fight. He was good at playing human, but his movements were too smooth, like a wolf or a lion instead of a man.

Suddenly, the vampire snarled, voicing something that Willow had been half expecting for the past several minutes. The hand that had been resting lightly on Cordelia's arm had tightened, and his fingers were now digging into her forearm. "I've heard enough of your whining about you sad little life. Someone pushed you, got you pretty dress all dirty... how sad. I'll make sure you never have to deal with another angry face again... And nobody will forget you, not after they find your remains spread over the whole clearing."

Cordelia looked at the vampire's snarling face, his eyes yellow, and his brow ridged, his teeth jagged sharp fangs, and she screamed. It was loud, piercing, and carried remarkably well. The vampire winced slightly at the volume, and slapped her with his other hand, the blow connecting to her cheekbone with a loud noise.

That was when Willow made her move. She swung the staff at his knees, hoping to knock him off balance, and hopefully hurt him as well. Knees hurt, even if there wasn't a lot of damage. The vampire growled, and dropped Cordelia, spinning around with ease and glaring at Willow, his face a mask of fury.

"Can't you see that I'm busy!? I can kill you later, little girl!" His voice was an angry growl.

Willow found herself thinking that growling vampires just didn't seem quite as scary as they used to be, and brought her staff around, swinging it at the vampire in a clearly offensive move. They fought, with Willow attempting to keep up with the vampire's speed, feeling the staff jar her hands every time he blocked.

Cordelia was still screaming, both at the vampire and at Vic, her face pale and terrified. She was huddled on the ground, her back against a tree. That moment of distraction when Willow glanced at Cordelia was almost the end, as the vampire took advantage and yanked the staff out of Willow's hands, tossing it off to the side.

The vampire grinned evilly, and moved closer, his expression promising pain, and a slow excruciating death. Willow closed her eyes, feeling for the particular shape of her staff, sensing the steel cable wrapped around it, the triple-wrapped, sharp end clear in her mind. She called it to her, and it came flying over, the sharpened wood sliding into the vampire as Willow dropped to the ground.

She could hear the staff embed itself in a tree, and a shower of gritty dust fell on her. Cordelia had stopped screaming. The clearing was quiet. Willow breathed a sigh of relief.

End part 6.

Willow looked around the clearing, seeing with relief that the only signs of motion were herself, Vic, Cordelia, and the staff, still quivering in the tree. She stood up, and attempted to pull the staff out of the tree, only to discover that it was lodged more firmly than her muscles could move. Vic chuckled at her predicament, and almost flowed over, pulling the pointed staff out of the tree, his muscles rippling in the moonlight. For an instant, he almost looked like the personification of the ancient hunter.

Still chuckling, he handed the spear-staff back to Willow, and glanced at Cordelia, his expression thoughtful. "You might not want to send it quite so hard next time, Red. What do we do about her?"

Willow sighed, looking at Cordelia. She was wondering that herself. "Hey, Cordelia. What set Buffy off this time? Or was the annoying blonde Harmony? You should be more careful about picking up random guys after dark."

Cordelia was staring at Willow, her eyes wide and a puzzled expression on her face. "Willow? You... you rescued me. I don't get it, why would you rescue me? And you should have seen this thing that Buffy pulled with Xander, that dance was incredibly not cool. I mean, somehow or other, he's got a girlfriend, and wasn't little miss Buffy trying to get that Angel guy? I mean, she practically mated with Xander on the dance floor."

Willow gasped slightly in surprise, astonished at this description of Buffy's behavior. "Mating dance! Oh, if Tracie finds out, she'll be pretty upset... So, Buffy pushed you into the trash, and everyone or at least several gossipy someone's saw it. She's... I don't know what's bothering her lately."

Cordelia stood up, still trembling slightly. She tried to brush the bits of things off of her dress, and pluck some of them from her hair. Willow extended that new sense, the one that let her feel metal, and she could feel a few bits clinging to Cordelia's dress, and not the feeling of the zipper, which could have been plastic. Carefully, Willow gave a gentle tug, and the little metal bits removed themselves from the dress, dropping into a pile on the ground.

Looking over at Willow, Cordelia paused, and then, very softly, she spoke again. "Thanks for, y'know, saving my life."

Willow smiled faintly, and looked at Cordelia, as if trying to judge the brunette's sincerity. "You're welcome."

Cordelia looked at her again, this time noticing the difference in the clothing, still loose enough to move in, but more flattering. The way that Willow had fought the vampire, not out of panic, but with determination and a degree of skill. And she remembered the sharp staff-spear flying through the air and impaling the vampire, with no one having touched it. "Willow? Umm ... What made the spear thingy get the vampire?"

Willow looked at Cordelia, and her small smile was tinged with pain, and a hint of bitterness. "You can't guess? You've been tormenting me about it all week. I'm a mutant. I called it to me."

Cordelia gasped slightly, one hand going to her mouth. "You can call sharp spears to impale vampires? That's... umm... useful."

Willow almost giggled at the thought. "Not quite. More exact to say that I can sense and move certain types of metals. That's why my staff has the steel cable wrapped around it. Lets me move it around. I can do a flock of little things, or a single something bigger... but it's not unlimited. And I still need to learn how to properly control it."

Cordelia ran her fingers through her hair, looking unexpectedly thoughtful. "That sounds sort of like that Magneto guy. Moving metal things just with a wave of his hand... He floated up a pair of police cars. That was pretty freaky."

Willow shrugged. "I can lift a car that way, it just wobbles when I do it. Impressive yet freaky was the trick with the bullet. No way that I could do that right now."

Cordelia looked at Willow, as if she was really seeing her for the first time. "You can float a car? Just by thinking about it? And you're out here, killing vampires while Buffy has her emotional trouble going on? Maybe I should ask you and ... umm ... your really big friend to walk me back to my car."

Willow gave a small smile. "Sure, we can walk you back to your car. Umm ... there could be something really big and freaky going on with the vampires, Giles is trying to do some research. It might be connected to Buffy's problem, she keeps spacing out like she's seeing something, and then she's all wiggy."

The trip to Cordelia's car was quiet, and Willow could see that the dark haired girl was thinking about things. Hopefully, Cordelia would realize that Willow wasn't a terrible menace. Hopefully, Cordelia would stop trying to make Willow's life miserable. And with a bit of luck, when whatever was going to happen with the vampires struck, Cordelia wouldn't be a hindrance.

End part 7.

Cordelia had apparently decided to help Giles try to find out what was happening. When Willow popped in during lunch, Cordelia and Giles were both there, looking through books on rituals and vampire history. It had been a bit of a surprise to Willow. She hadn't seen much of Xander today, and he had been so distracted that they hadn't actually talked, not that she was certain she wanted to talk to him. Buffy was acting all cold and distant.

Willow entered the library, trying to think of a tactful way to ask why Cordelia was there, when something happened that completely startled her. Cordelia smiled at her: a nice, friendly smile, not one that was mocking, or trying to get something, but a real smile.

All Willow could manage as she sat down was a soft 'Hey Cordelia.' She picked up a book, having learned the odd not quite system that Giles used to indicate what books had been searched and what books hadn't. Researching took long enough without repeating the books. She was trying to figure out what had changed for Cordelia. Yesterday, Cordelia couldn't give a polite word, until she had saved her from that vampire... well, if that was what it took to convince Cordelia that she wasn't a dangerous mutant menace, at least there had been some gain from it.

"We think we may have found what they want. There's this ritual, involving - eeeww, the ritual slaughter of those closest to the fallen vampire, and there's a few things here about what type of vampire they can raise and what sort just stays dead. Anyhow, there's this gruesome ceremony involving vampire bones and human sacrifice that would let them bring some evil vampire back from the dead." Cordelia's voice was filled with dismay, undoubtedly picturing some of the things in the texts. Unfortunately, her words caused dismay in Willow as well.

"Closest as in... umm, does that mean the vampires in blood descent, or his most loyal followers, or does it mean his nearest and dearest or what?"

Giles gave a small sigh, and gave a rather unwelcome answer. "We aren't quite certain of that yet. The original ritual was in Sumerian, and then translated into Latin, and from the Latin into German. I'm still trying to sort out what it actually meant by closest."

Willow paused a moment to consider that, and then her words came tumbling out. "You mean there's a group of vampires, willing to burn themselves to dig up the Master's bones to try to resurrect him with blood sacrifice, and we have no idea who they need to kill for this to work? Do we have any idea when this ritual needs to be cast? Are we lucky enough that it needs a specific phase of the moon, or astronomical alignment? Anything on what sort of location?"

Giles shook his head sadly. "They need the Master's bones, either a dark moon or a red moon. They need their appropriate sacrifices, which are hung over the bones and bled out over them, which means that the ritual would most likely be inside a building or underground. The ancient Sumerians were quite skilled at creating fairly simple, easy to perform mystical rituals."

Willow sat down, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as she sighed in frustration. "Of all the times to find out that somebody had a really practical and efficient system... Okay, let's think. These are vampires, a large group of them. Where would they probably be lairing? Probably not the Master's old lair, and I think that's the only centrally located large cavern, so they're probably above ground. So, where in Sunnydale could a large number of vampires hide, with a skeleton, and plan and carry out a sacrificial ritual without anyone noticing them?"

The answer to that one was fairly obvious. The vampires had to be lairing either in one of the many unused warehouses or in an abandoned factory. That would narrow down the possibilities somewhat, but it still left a large area to search. Willow called up the map of Sunnydale on the computer, and they checked for which abandoned or unused building was the closest to the place where the Master's bones had been buried, figuring that that was as good a place to start as any other method.

Cordelia looked at Willow, her expression thoughtful. "You haven't changed that much after all, Willow. I mean, you're dressing better, and you really kicked that vampire's ass, well sort of anyhow, but you're still Willow. Just, I don't know, a more grown up version. How come you grew up so much over the summer and Xander or Buffy didn't?"

Willow gave a slight smile, seeing potential in this. Cordelia had realized that she was still Willow, still herself. "Well, I discovered last spring that I have a relative in federal prison. It's Magneto if you're curious. Then, he sent me a bodyguard. I discovered that I was a mutant when this giant tentacled crocodile thing tried to eat me. I went to San Diego for my aunt's wedding and got chased by a mutant-hating mob. My cousin Erik, umm that would be his real name, Erik Lenscherr, got cancer over the summer, and I went to visit him and forged my mom's name so I could donate him some bone marrow so that the cancer wouldn't kill him, and I came back to Sunnydale. It's been a growing experience."

Cordelia found herself gaping, and closed her mouth for a few moments. "Willow, where were your parents during all of this?"

Willow sighed, sinking lower in the computer chair. "Mostly off on various trips, although they were there for the wedding. They left for Atlanta after the crocodile demon. They were back for a while, but went to Boston for the summer, and so they completely missed me leaving California, visiting Erik and giving bone marrow, and coming home. I got to do my back to school shopping all by myself for once, well, without my mom anyhow. Vic went with me, and ended up carrying a lot of the bags."

"Your parents were gone long enough for you to leave the state, have surgery and come back? They didn't notice anything? Do you actually have any relatives who care?" Cordelia's voice was getting a bit louder, and was filled with a mixture of surprise, dismay, and disbelief.

"It's not like that's a big change or anything. They haven't been the most attentive parents in the world. As for "Do I have any relatives who care:" yes. I have my Opa, and Erik, and Chris and Lil, who are my cousins that I met in San Diego, but they've been emailing me..." Realizing that she had come to the end of the short list of relatives that cared, Willow sighed, and let the silence hang in the air.

Cordelia blinked a bit, thinking over Willow's words. "No wonder you didn't want him to die. If you can count on one hand the relatives that care... I don't think I like your family very much. No wonder you've been such a loyal friend to Buffy and Xander. And that means that the way their acting has to be a painful thing, right?"

"Yeah. I'm hoping that Buffy's just all freaked because of that zoning out thing she's got right now, and not because Xander told her that I'm a mutant. Xander just... he freaked out." Willow looked a bit depressed.

In a rather awkward attempt to change the subject, Giles suggested that they return to their research. The suggestion was eagerly accepted, and soon the library was once more filled with the soft sound of turning pages, and mutters of 'what exactly does that word mean?' 'eeewww, did we really need that illustrated for us?'.

End part 8.

Willow made her way home, checking the mailbox to bring in anything that was there. Hopefully, there would be a letter from Erik inside. Something to take her mind off of old vampire rituals and abandoned buildings. Shuffling the many envelopes, she cataloged them bill, bill, trash, credit card application - throw that away, bill, box holder sales flyer, Yes! A letter from Erik and hmm a letter from Chris. Wonder what that was prompted by, I'll have to read it.

She heard Vic calling the pizza delivery guy, ordering a huge meat lover's pizza for himself, and a small one with peppers and mushrooms for her, and an order of breadsticks, which they would end up splitting between them. She passed him the remote for the television, not entirely surprised when he put it on a wrestling program, the sort that had to be carefully scripted and planned. How else could the guys come back, week after week, having been 'thrown' over the ropes and out of the ring, 'beaten' with metal chairs and sledgehammers?

"You know that has to be faked, right? How would they be able to fight again in a few days after that? I'm usually sore for a week after some scary guy tosses me to the ground." Willow couldn't resist asking as she settled into the chair to read her letters.

Vic just smiled, showing sharp teeth. "It's still fun to watch. And if I ever need some of those moves, mine won't be faked."

With a smile, Willow tossed of a comment to Vic as she opened her letter from Erik. "You know you have violent tendencies, right?"

Erik's letter rambled a bit, but it did a great deal to make Willow feel better. He was feeling much better after the operation. No more odd twinges in his legs, and his appetite and color were better. He'd even had a visit from Charles, who had thought that he looked vastly improved.

"Erik's feeling a lot better, he wrote that his legs aren't hurting anymore."

Apparently, Charles and his people had detected some power flickers with his Cerebro machine, which had been created in an earlier form by a joint effort of the two of them, hoping to be able to locate mutants. The flickers had come from her area, and Charles had felt a bit concerned. He thought that perhaps Charles was worried about Willow's ethics and her views on human-mutant relations.

On a somewhat brighter note, he had managed to get permission to have books in his cell. It had been decided that some scientific publications, especially those concerning genetics or mutants might be a bit questionable to arrange permission for, but he would be able to read assorted historical and fiction works. He was eagerly looking forward to it.

Willow was feeling better after reading Erik's letter. He was recovering; his health was improving. Not only that, but he'd finally gotten permission to have something to do while in his boring glass and plastic cell. It was no wonder that he had been bored silly. Life was looking up for him, which was good.

She opened the letter from Chris, wondering exactly what had prompted her cousin to send an actual letter instead of an email. She found the page inside, and it had several blotches from droplets of something falling onto the dark blue ink, possibly tears, blurring some of the words near the bottom.

-----------

Hey Willow,

Hope things haven't been too boring in that small town of yours. If you have time, why don't you come back to San Diego and visit with us over Labor Day? Grandpa Dane will be here, and he'd love to meet you. Aunt Diane will be away visiting her husband's family, Aunt Bernie's still away being all newly wed. We'd love to have you come visit. Please, come out and save us from Grandpa's talks about biology and genetics. : (

Zack says to tell you 'hey red, how's life'. He said he's thinking about getting a tattoo to go with all his piercings. Some weird girl with a southern accent's been hanging out watching him, I've been telling him that he's finally got an admirer. There was another rally by those hate-mongers, but we all managed to avoid them this time around. No skinned knees, bruises or groundings. : ) - yay us

Remember Brian? Lili's boyfriend? Yeah, the cute one with those dark puppy eyes. He asked her to marry him, and he had a ring and everything, and we thought that everything was going to be so perfect. Then his family wanted Lili to get herself tested - not for any sort of sexual disease or something, but to get gene tested, in case she had some sort of hidden mutation. Seem's Mamma and Pappa Alveda don't want their boy to marry a mutant. Which irked Mom a bit, because it isn't Mamma or Pappa Alveda getting married, (blotch) ould be Brian and Lili, except that her test came up positive for gene(blotch) abnormalities and now his parents (blotch) want him spending time with us anymore. I guess the (blotch) met Zack before, or else they would have flipped.

So Lili's a mutant, which (blotch) I might be one as well. Rumor got out, and some of the people from Ballet aren't talking to (blotch).

Does it scare you? To know that one of your cousins is a mutant, and that I might be as well? Does it make you (blotch) what's hiding in your genes? I never had to worry about having the wrong DNA before. Most of the gang's been pretty supportive, and Zack's been great.

No idea if Lili has any cool nifty abilities (blotch) to go with her gene scan. She's been so busy crying about Brian not talking to her anymore to try to find out. I think his parents have been keeping him under lock and key so he doesn't 'go see that mutant girl'. I've never been one of a 'them' before, and it's scary. We don't even know where it came from. Is this something that's been lurking in the family tree, passing itself down through generations? Is this something new and scary and all (blotch)?

Come visit. We could use some moral support and cheer.

Chris Stenner

--------

end part 9.

Willow stared at the letter for a long time, her own eyes blurring and burning with tears. Chris and Lili were running into the same prejudice issues that she was. They weren't certain what to do about it. They felt confused and angry and afraid, and wanted someone to let them know that they were still loved. She could feel something flickering, just at the edge of her awareness, and decided not to try to email her cousins... or anything else with sensitive electronics right now.

Pulling out a sheet of paper, Willow began her letter. She offered words of support, promising to visit over labor day weekend, and telling Chris and Lili that, actually, she had recently discovered her own mutant status. The news that Lili was a mutant and Chris might be was not a problem for her. Her own friends were not dealing very well with things. It would be good to have a break, and she could give some more details in person. If she could help them, she would, although she really didn't know what she could do.

She was not in a good mood that night when she retired, and sleep was slow in coming that night. She dreamed of vampires, of the Master rising up and devouring Buffy, of her cousins burned for being mutants, and an angry mob coming for her, waking up in a cold sweat, tangled in her bedcovers. It was not a restful night.

Things didn't improve very much over breakfast, although she was reassured by Vic's presence. He had showed up early with bagels and coffee, making Willow smile in gratitude. He wouldn't let an angry mob burn her, or hang her, or whatever modern mobs did to people. She had her very own protector. That reassurance might have been the only thing that gave her the courage to go on to school.

She made her way to school, no longer surprised at the number of people that had ignored her last year that flinched at the sight of her. The fact that she had an area of personal space around her, that nobody bumped into her in the halls, accidentally or on purpose, was something else that she was starting to get used to. She didn't like it, and it hurt that everyone was so afraid of her, but she was not as surprised any more. She had been revealed as "Different." She was the unexplainable, unpredictable ... "other." She was no longer simply "Willow the Bookworm" or "Willow the Tutor."

Nobody wanted to get too close to "Willow the Mutant."

Cordelia offered her an almost cheerful 'Good morning." The shock of it nearly made Willow stumble, and she had a moment's concern that she had woken up in the twilight zone. Cordelia was talking to her? "Ahh... morning, Cordelia."

Buffy was still distant that day, and even stranger, she was looking through a book from Giles' private collection, one of the Watcher's Journals. Willow got little more than an absent 'morning Wills' from her. Xander wasn't speaking to her, and his deliberate silence was almost frosty. Willow felt something inside of her crack, as if somewhere inside, she had begun to bleed. Once, she had thought that Xander and Jesse would always be her friends. Then, Jesse had died, and she had only Xander, and then Buffy as well. Now, upon learning that she was a mutant related to Magneto, Xander was gone. Not physically, but... he wasn't acting much like a friend. It seemed that there was a limit to his friendship.

'Nothing lasts forever, especially not the good parts.' Willow was trying to convince herself. She had always thought that Xander would be there, but now... she would have to learn without him as her friend. Learn to live with him emotionally removed, distanced from her. Growing up sucked sometimes.

She found herself sitting alone at lunch, under a big tree. Glancing off the school grounds, she could see Vic, waiting, just in case there was some sort of physical danger to her. She gave a small wave in his direction. Then, a shadow fell over her, and she looked up, trying to determine who would actually be willing to approach her, who would talk to her now.

Cordelia stood there, with her own packed lunch, in a more expensive small cooler, and gave a tentative almost smile before settling herself carefully on the ground near Willow. "Hey. I was thinking that maybe we could... talk a bit."

Willow was now certain that she had been transported into the Twilight Zone. Cordelia was talking to her, Xander wasn't. It was just too strange. "Sure. We haven't really done much of that... ever. Didn't he hit your cheek... oh, make-up. I hope it doesn't hurt too much."

Cordelia gave a small chuckle. "Yeah, make-up. I know how to cover a bruise. I got to thinking, last night. You saved me, and I know that you didn't have to. You could have just left me there, most people would have, if they were the one that had... but you didn't. You helped me, even though I've been... not very nice to you in the past. I guess... I owe you an apology for about... the past ten years?"

Willow was certain now. Either she had fallen into the Twilight Zone in which Cordelia was possessed, or she was still asleep. But still ... what if this was real? Was this that-much stranger than discovering that she was related to Magneto? That she was a mutant? That vampires were real? "I think ... I can forgive you, Cordelia. And that's about the top of the list of things I never thought I'd hear myself say... umm, so, do we, sort of... start over?"

Cordelia smiled, her eyes filled with amusement. "Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of I'd like to try to be friends. You... you're this impossibly nice person. Not to say that you haven't done a few things... but... you really care about people, even the ones that don't like you. I think I'd like to try to be friends with you. And in no way did that sound..."

Smothering her giggle, Willow offered a suggestion for Cordelia. "Twilight Zone-ish? I've been getting that feeling as well. Then, I sort of decided to go for it."

Cordelia pulled out a sandwich from her cooler, looking thoughtful. "Yeah, that sounds about like things lately. Everything's turned upside down. Things that I thought weren't real are real enough to kill, and then you turn out to be a mutant, and that was completely unexpected. Much better cloths lately, by the way."

They sat there over lunch break, discussing homework assignments as they contemplated the change in things between them. Cordelia had never been Willow's friend before, but... everything was changing now. Demons and vampires were real. Xander wasn't talking to her. She had a bodyguard. And now Cordelia wanted to be her friend. Life was strange.

=====

End part 10.

Willow was actually in a good mood by the end of school. She had talked with Cordelia over lunch, and thought that maybe the two of them could become friends. She had aced her chemistry test, and thought that she had done well on her math test that she had taken that day. School was, well, things were looking up if she had someone that would talk to her. She had made a few minor upgrades in the library computer, and had talked with Giles, who was getting some translation on the possible rituals that could be done with the Master's bones. The good news was that none of the rituals would cause the opening of the Hellmouth.

Unfortunately, Willow's parents had come back home from their latest trip. Ira and Sheila Rosenberg had decided to have a 'family bonding session' tonight, and Willow would have to be there for dinner. Allegedly, her parents also wanted to talk about what was going on in her life right now. Giles had thought that that would be a good thing. Cordelia had asked if there was a reason why Willow seemed so skeptical that they would want to know. She had then explained the long history of trips, including trips that had caused them to miss significant events in Willow's life. Such as her second grade dance recital and the surgery to remove her tonsils that had happened during fifth grade. Cordelia and Giles had both been shocked and appalled.

That evening, Willow went home, to have diner with her parents. She was actually a bit curious what sort of 'family bonding' her parents would come up with. Would they react to her as if she was still the small girl whose dance recital they had missed for a trip to Denver or the elusive 'statistically average teenager' that she had never been, or would the treat her as an adult? Would they actually talk to her instead of at her? Would they listen to her answers or simply fill in the spaces between their own words with the things they expected a 'normal beginning junior in high school' to say? She sighed, certain that normal people didn't worry this much about something as simple as a meal with their parents. But then, normal teens saw their parents more often.

Dinner started out tediously. Her parents asked her about her classes at school, and if she had started considering which college she wanted to apply to after her graduation. Those were simple enough, and it was only slightly more difficult to explain to her mother that no, she was not dating 'that Harris boy', she was getting over her crush on him, and he had a girlfriend that went to another school. Yes, she was still talking to 'that Bunny girl'. She was a student assistant Librarian, and had ended up on the yearbook committee this year, mainly because after the computer upgrade, she was the only student that seemed to be able to get the printing programs to do all their tricks properly. Yes, she was getting good grades in her classes. She was then mainly ignored except for the occasional 'Willow, can you pass the...' comments until desert started.

The talk turned to mutants, and the effect that they were having on clinical and counseling psychology. An increasing number of people were attempting to use genetic mutation - theirs or the victims, as an excuse for violent crimes. "It was okay to kill him, he was a mutant clogging the gene-pool" or "I'm a mutant, I'm expected to be violent and anti-social" or "I had to kill them, I could hear how they thought about me ... you would have killed them too" or "But I needed to eat the gold, I have specialized digestive needs" or "He's just a mutant, he didn't need to have that anyhow" .... Her father had just wondered what would happen if a mutant were to turn up in their own home town.

"Marcy Clarke was a mutant. She could turn invisible and used that ability to beat up all the people that had spent the last ten years making fun of her. Some people from the government came and took her away." Willow's words dropped into the thoughtful silence like a stone into still water.

Her father looked at her, his expression serious. "There was a mutant in your school? Beating people up? But... who exactly took her away, and what did they intend to do with her?"

Her mother frowned. "Beating people up is actually the sort of violent actions that are becoming part of the typical reactive techniques of mutants."

"They didn't give the students much information, just that they would 'handle her.' I don't know what they intended, but ... it gives me a bad feeling. Her parents haven't heard anything from her, so whatever is going on, she isn't in touch with her family. And as for her violent tendencies ... she was having issues even before she went invisible ... stuck invisible. Not like, 'Ooh! I can turn invisible when I want to' but 'nobody can see me anymore.' She figured that since nobody had cared about the way she had been treated, she would have to do something herself."

Frowning, her father looked as if he were calculating numbers. "According to some of the more recent projections, it would be likely to have another mutant or two in Sunnydale, given the population total and recent statistics on the growing number of mutations."

Willow gave a small smile, figuring that her gift for numbers must have come from her father. "Ummm ... do either of you remember the project I had on family trees last spring? I found a relative ... one that's become a bit ... recognizable."

"Who is that, and on which side is this person related?" Her mother looked curious.

"Well ... the relation is through Opa Rosenberg. His oldest daughter had a son, Erik Lenscherr." Willow wasn't certain how her parents would react to this discovery. If possible, she would try to keep the news of her own mutation secret as long as possible, especially if they took this poorly. Recent events didn't lend weight to the hope that her parents would deal well with the news.

"Erik Lenscherr... not that Magneto person!" Her mother's shocked words ran into her father's own exclamation. "I have a cousin in Federal prison for terrorism?!?"

"Ummm ... yeah, Erik Lenscherr as in Magneto, currently in prison of several counts of terrorism and property destruction." She wasn't certain what they would do.

The next hour provided for a lively discussion about mutant abilities as restricted by law, what you were and weren't responsible, and a few proposals concerning mutants. Topics morphed from the Mutant Registration act to one suggesting all known mutant criminals be listed, and another requiring mutants to carry special insurance against accidentally injuring someone with their powers.

What Willow didn't know was that as she discussed the potential pitfalls of various forms of mutant registration, vampire minions were abducting Cordelia and Giles from the library. The mortals were being carried away for a secret and powerful ritual: a ritual that was intended to feature their sacrificial deaths to enable the resurrection of the Master.

End part 11.

=====

Things had actually gone far better with her parents than Willow had hoped. While there had been some dismay over the relationship to Erik, she wasn't quite certain if that was because he was a mutant, or because he was in prison. She was hoping to keep her own mutation secret until she had a better idea of how they would react. After all, if they completely flipped and threw her out, where would she go?

Finally, the conversation had wound down, and she had pretended to retire for the night, going to her room and turning out the light. But something didn't feel right, so she slipped out her bedroom door and moved quietly into the night.

"Where are we going?" Vic's raspy voice emerged from the darkness.

"I'm not sure. Something isn't... I keep thinking something's wrong. Maybe we should start by checking with Giles?" Willow couldn't put words to her feeling, or explain how she was so certain that something was wrong, and would only get worse if they let it.

He simply nodded, enjoying the patrols too much to question the idea of going out based on a 'feeling'. Besides, from what he had seen so far, there was always something bad trying to happen in this town.

They made their way towards the school, Willow firmly holding her metal wrapped staff. As they approached, Vic growled a bit, and they saw the figure of Buffy headed in towards the library. "There's been a lot of vampires here, none of them Angel. It's probably trouble... but I don't smell death inside."

The library was a mess. Several shelves had been dropped onto their sides, spilling books across the floor, and there were loose papers over the floor as well, possibly loose-leaf, or printouts. The table had been upended, the chairs had been tossed about the room, one clearly broken, and there was a small pile of grey dust on the floor near one sharp portion of the arm. Giles' teacup had fallen to the floor, remarkably unshattered, it's contents spread across the floor in imitation of a bloodstain. Buffy was simply standing there, her whole posture radiating surprise and shock and denial.

"Oh merciful God..." Willow's whisper echoed through the room, or at least, it seemed like it did. She was staring at the mess in shock, her mind spinning wildly as she tried to understand what had happened.

"They took the librarian, and the girl, Cordelia. They weren't trying to hurt them." Vic's low voice was almost reassuring, except for the implications of his words.

"Why? He's not after them... why would they take Giles? I thought he was after me... I killed him after all." Buffy's voice was filled with confusion, and hurt.

The feeling of something wrong increased, as if icy tendrils had crept up Willow's spine. This was very bad. "Buffy? Who took them, who did you kill?"

"The Master. But... he's dead, he couldn't have taken them, he's dead... he can't be here, I killed him." Buffy sounded as if she was in shock, and she looked oddly pale.

Suddenly, it all clicked for Willow. Everything made horrible, awful sense, and for a moment, everything seemed to spin. "They took the Master's bones the other night, so they could prepare for their resurrection ritual. Then, they needed the people closes to him when he died... as in proximity, not emotion. Whoever stood the closest, and Giles said the ritual would have a sacrificial component. Oh, they're going to kill them to raise the Master!"

"Not if I get there first." Buffy's voice was flat, as if she had turned off her emotions. As the blonde moved across the library and picked up a sword, Willow noted that her movements seemed slightly off, almost stiff.

"You aren't going after them alone. We're going too." Willow's voice was firm, allowing for no argument.

Vic led the way, following the scent of the vampires and the scent of Cordelia's fear. As they traveled, Angel joined the group, his expression grim. He had a sword almost concealed under his billowing coat, Willow could feel it in her mind, a much higher quality steel then the cable around her staff.

"They aren't just going to stop and let them go because you don't like it." Angel's voice was low, a caution that the upcoming confrontation would not be simple.

"Then we kill the bad guys, rescue Giles and Cordelia... and we all go home. Sounds good." Buffy's voice was still harsh and empty.

Willow looked at Angel, seeing his surprise at the sound of Buffy's voice. "I think there's something else going on with her. We can try to figure it out later. Maybe you can concentrate on getting Giles and Cordelia out?"

Angel nodded, and there was no more time for planning or discussion. The scent had led them to a warehouse, the windows boarded over, and the large doors welded shut. Willow could feel the masses of equipment still inside, large quantities of refined steel, although she couldn't tell what the equipment had been for, other than the presence of several lengths of chain hanging from a metal rail towards the ceiling. She heard growls from Angel and Vic, slightly different in tone. Buffy kicked in the small door, and went inside, her posture one of cold determination. They followed her, Willow muttering something about a concept called subtle, or stealth, and Vic simply snarling, eager to fight.

There had to have been dozens of vampires, although it felt more like hundreds, trying to attack them. Willow rapidly lost track of Buffy, and had only a slight idea of Angel's progress as he moved towards the landing to get Cordelia, Giles, and Miss Calender. They were easily visible, hanging upside down from a chain, the cable not wanting to move as Angel tried to pull on it. When she had a moment to spare, she gave a mental push, causing the chain to move towards Angel with a shriek of protest. The noise went almost unnoticed amidst the growling, the snarled threats, and the sounds of flesh hitting flesh, of claws tearing flesh, and the odd almost popping noise that she felt/heard every time she impaled one of the vampires on her staff. It was an utterly confusing mess, and she could only pray that everything would turn out all right.

End part 12

=====

Finally, the snarling and confusion died away, leaving the floor covered with blood and the grittiness of vampire ashes. Willow glanced around, trying to figure out where everyone was, if they were still alive. She could feel the dull ache of bruises forming over her body, and dozens of scrapes and small cuts that she didn't remember getting burned on her flesh.

Buffy stood panting next to a slab of stone with a skeleton carefully placed on it, a stone podium with a clay tablet beside her. She was panting, her hair fallen in disarray wound her shoulders, her shirt torn and smeared with ashes and blood, a bruise forming over one eye, her lip split near the corner, but she looked alive again. With a look of determination, Buffy picked up a large hammer and began to smash the bones to little pieces, continuing until there wasn't a single fragment larger than a finger joint.

Angel was still on the platform, helping Cordelia to her feet. Giles and Miss Calender were standing there now, looking as if they were leaning on each other for support. The now freed captives looked unharmed.

She saw Vic, standing over to her right, his clothing ripped in so many places, and red with blood. It was impossible to determine if it was his blood, or blood from the vampires that he'd fought, and there was a ring of damp ashes around him, resembling a miniature broad volcano. He looked positively gleeful, as if he'd had the most amazingly fun time, and Willow felt herself teetering on the edge of a headlong view into his bloody and violent past. She shook her head slightly, reminding herself that whatever he had been before, he was now her friend and protector.

"If everyone is okay... umm, Buffy? Have you finished grinding his bones to powder yet? 'Cuz I think the rest of us are ready to go now."

It wasn't until the next day, with the group gathered in the library, that Willow learned about the unsettling visions that Buffy had been having. All those times when Buffy had appeared to zone out were horrifying visions of the Master, normally killing her. It actually explained some of why she had been so distant and cold lately, unexpectedly seeing the Master returned to kill her, and her best friends not even trying to stop him in her visions.

Cordelia had seemed extremely grateful to Vic for rescuing her, almost as if he'd accomplished it all by himself. Willow wondered if there was the beginning of a crush there, and found the idea oddly unsettling. Cordelia and Vic ... together?

Now, it looked like there would be no trouble with having a little trip to San Diego to try to help Chris and Lily out with their troubles.

=====

end part 13.

End Family Tree 11: Master Plots and Plans.


	12. FT12:  One Family's Bonds

Author: Lucinda

Rating: PG 13

No Willow pairing

Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable characters from BtVS or X-Men/Marvel comics. Willow's San Diego family are my own original characters.

Distribution: If I have given permission for you to have the previous "Family Tree" stories, yes. Otherwise, please ask.

note: 'Grandpa Dane' is not really Willow's grandfather, but more of a great uncle. I'm sure mine can't be the only family that sometimes gets a bit imprecise about that sort of thing.

many heartfelt thanks to my talented Beta Domino Rose-Mystagic, without whom the Family Tree series wouldn't be nearly as good, and the source of several of the nice titles.

=====

Willow held a crumpled paper in her hand, it's message now committed to memory. Her cousin Chris had wrote to her, pouring out her pain over a recent discovery that had thrown the Stenner family into turmoil. Lillian was a mutant. It had caused her boyfriend's family to panic, dragging their son away from the 'scary mutant'. Lillian felt heartbroken, uncertain what to do now that Brian had been taken away from her. Willow didn't know if Brian had protested this dragging away or not. If he had, well, he needed to get out of his parent's clutches. If he had been whole-heartedly trying to run away from Lillian, Willow would just have to hurt him. But she was going to visit them, now that there Labor day was here and there was a long weekend.

Chris and Lillian needed someone to help them cope, and she was the perfect someone. She wouldn't be afraid that Lillian was a mutant and Chris might be because she was a mutant herself. She could offer a bit of reassurance to her Aunt Emily. They could plan to get in touch with Brian and after living on the Hellmouth fighting demons? An angry mutant fearing family would be no big deal at all; at least, someone else's mutant fearing family wouldn't be a problem. She still hadn't told her own parents.

Besides, she had the feeling that if they stayed in Sunnydale, Vic might do something painful to Xander. She might feel bad about that later, if the pain of his rejection and panic ever ebbed down to the point where it didn't hurt to think about him. So, San Diego would be good, and she figured that she could talk Aunt Emily into letting Vic stay in the guest room, since she actually knew he was with her this time. A sudden thought occurred to her: what if Aunt Emily thought Vic was her boyfriend?

She glanced at the letter one more time, this time actually wondering about Grandpa Dane, who wasn't actually her grandfather, but some other type of relative, and his work with genetics. Would he know anything about mutants, or the idea of the heredity of mutant abilities? She could only wait and see.

Hey Willow,

Hope things haven't been too boring in that small town of yours. If you have time, why don't you come back to San Diego and visit with us over Labor Day? Grandpa Dane will be here, and he'd love to meet you. Aunt Diane will be away visiting her husband's family; Aunt Bernie's still away being all newly wed. We'd love to have you come visit. Please, come out and save us from Grandpa's talks about biology and genetics. : (

Zack says to tell you 'hey red, how's life'. He said he's thinking about getting a tattoo to go with all his piercings. Some weird girl with a southern accent's been hanging out watching him. I've been telling him that he's finally got an admirer. There was another rally by those hate-mongers, but we all managed to avoid them this time around. No skinned knees, bruises or groundings. : ) - yay us

Remember Brian? Lillian's boyfriend? Yeah, the cute one with those, dark puppy eyes. He asked her to marry him, and he had a ring and everything, and we thought that everything was going to be so perfect. Then his family wanted Lillian to get herself tested - not for any sort of sexual disease or something, but to get gene tested, in case she had some sort of hidden mutation. Seems Mama and Papa Alveda don't want their boy to marry a mutant. Which irked Mom a bit, because it isn't Mama or Papa Alveda getting married, (blotch) ould be Brian and Lillian, except that her test came up positive for gene (blotch) abnormalities and now his parents (blotch) want him spending time with us anymore. I guess the (blotch) met Zack before, or else they would have flipped.

So Lillian's a mutant, which (blotch) I might be one as well. Rumor got out, and some of the people from Ballet aren't talking to (blotch). Does it scare you? To know that one of your cousins is a mutant ... and that I might be as well? Does it make you (blotch) what's hiding in your genes? I never had to worry about having the wrong DNA before. Most of the gang's been pretty supportive, and Zack's been great.

No idea if Lillian has any cool nifty abilities (blotch) to go with her gene scan. She's been so busy crying about Brian not talking to her anymore to try to find out. I think his parents have been keeping him under lock and key so he doesn't 'go see that mutant girl'. I've never been one of a 'them' before, and it's scary. We don't even know where it came from. Is this something that's been lurking in the family tree, passing itself down through generations? Is this something new and scary and all (blotch)?

Come visit. We could use some moral support and cheer.

Chris Stenner

Willow hoped that her family and Zack had been enough to hold Lillian stable for now. She knew just how upsetting the sudden idea that you were or could be a mutant was, having just gone through it last spring. It had to be easier with support from the people around you, right?

The trip was fairly quiet, with a little discussion, covering again the reasons why they were leaving Sunnydale, and pondering the options about Brian. If he hated mutants, if he was afraid of Lillian, if he had wanted to break her heart, if he was scared but still wanted to be with her, if he wanted desperately to see her and his family wouldn't let him... the list went on and on. It was mostly so that Willow wouldn't have to think about the other issues bothering her, like Xander and Buffy. Hopefully, Buffy would be a lot better about it now that the Master wasn't haunting her dreams, but Willow was still worried.

Vic seemed almost content with the idea that it was to get away from Xander and Buffy for a while. The possibility of violence in San Diego was just an added bonus.

Willow's Aunt Emily was a bit surprised at Willow's arrival, especially at her large friend Vic, but she simply put him in the second guest room, Grandpa Dane already being in the first. Willow was quietly informed that she would have to stay with Chris and Lillian again, and warned that, "Lillian was rather upset about her boyfriend, well, ex boyfriend. She's been crying a lot, so don't be to surprised."

Thanking her aunt for being willing to let them drop in, Willow went up to see Chris and Lillian. Lillian was quite a sight, her hair laying limply, eyes red from crying, and more tears glistening on her cheeks.

"W-willow? You're... you came to visit? I..." Lillian wasn't quite certain what to say, but a small smile was attempting to find it way onto her face.

"How's things been for you, Willow?" Chris' question was a safely neutral subject, but Willow was certain that there was an underlying concern about how she would react to the whole 'Lillian the mutant' issue.

Willow sat on the floor with a small sigh. "Well... maybe I should leave it at I came here because I told my friends something, and Xander and Buffy both freaked. I'm hoping they'll calm down while I'm gone."

Lillian looked at her, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "What could you have to tell them that would freak them out?"

Willow decided that this was clearly the time to share with her cousins. "I... well, Lillian, you aren't the only mutant in the house. I'm a mutant, and when I told my friends... Giles was in shock, Amy thought it was cool, Buffy went 'Ahh... right... ahh... got to go now...' and Xander... I don't want to be around Xander right now."

Chris and Lillian both looked at her, eyes wide, and curious. Lillian was the one that asked the question. "You... really? When did you... how did you learn?"

"Yes, I really am. I didn't know yet at Aunt Bernie's wedding. I can do magnetics, it's sort of cool in a can do bad things to the computer sort of way. Lillian? Are there any neat things that you can do?" Willow tried to make it sound casual, as if being a mutant was not a problem, as if for a few moments, they could pretend there wasn't an enormous social stigma attached too being different.

Chris looked at her, an odd expression on her face. "Magnetics? Like... like Magneto?"

Willow sighed, pulling her knees in close to her body, wrapping her arms around them. "Yeah. He's a cousin on my dad's side, the side you guys aren't on. And he wasn't trying to kill the delegates."

Lillian looked at her, something between curiosity and worry in her eyes. "How do you know he wasn't trying to kill them? We don't know what that thing was supposed to do."

With a tiny smile, Willow answered. "I asked him."

End part 1.

Chris stared at her, her mouth opening and closing a few times without any sound coming out at all. Lillian was looking surprised, and thoughtful, although Willow wasn't entirely certain what she was thinking about.

With a small "come here gesture" a few stray bolts that Chris had managed to bring into the house rose up from the corner, floating over to Willow. "See? It's sort of nifty, and I don't have to actually search for some things anymore. Here, take them before they get magnetized."

Chris held out one hand, twitching a bit as the bolts settled into her hand. "Wow... that's... halfway between awesome and freaky. You have the same powers that he does?"

Lillian was watching Willow, her expression showing hope. "You don't seem to be too upset about being a... a mutant."

"Actually, for a while I was a nervous wreck about the possibility. What if I was a mutant? Would my friends and family freak out? Would I be kicked out of school? Would it keep me from getting into college? By the time I actually found out that I was, I'd worried and kicked the idea around enough that I'd already figured out how to deal with some of the situations. My parent's don't know yet, Xander did freak, but I think part of that was the whole cousin Magneto thing... As for college, I decided to worry about that when I'm closer to graduating." Willow was smiling now. It felt pretty good to be talking about this with her cousins.

Chris gave a tiny snicker. "What, you worried so much that you ran out?"

Well aware that Lillian was paying very close attention now, Willow gave a small sigh. "I realized that the people that really love me should still care about me and accept me as Willow even if I was a mutant. It wouldn't mean that I couldn't be smart enough for college, or that I couldn't learn things. At the worst, if I was a mutant, which it turned out that I am, it might be harder. But harder hasn't stopped me from anything before. And I knew that I wouldn't be entirely alone. You won't be entirely alone. You have each other, you have your mom, me, although I'm farther away... How have your friends reacted?"

Lillian gave a small smile. "Some have taken it well, and it doesn't seem to matter to them. A few of them seem a bit spooked... and a couple aren't talking to me anymore."

Chris looked at Willow. "Are you trying to say that being a mutant doesn't matter at all?"

Willow smiled. "No, that's not what I'm saying. I mean..." Willow paused, trying to find the words for her thoughts. "It's part of you, like being blond is part of you. But you are more than a blond ... more than a dancer. Do you follow? It isn't the whole of who you are, just a single facet. And maybe it will let you do nifty cool things."

Lillian smiled now, apparently feeling a lot better. "What, fly like superman? Shoot laser beams from my eyes and live forever? Sounds a bit... whoa."

Chris giggled. "All in one person? I haven't heard of anyone that could do all that..."

Considering the mutants that she had met, Willow had to laugh as well. "I haven't heard of any single person that could do all of that, no married ones either. But... I do know of a mutant who can shoot laser beams from his eyes, and Erik can float by some sort of magnetic field manipulation that I haven't go the control for yet, and Vic.... Remember the big blond guy in the park? He's... um, actually he's sort of a bodyguard sent by Erik to help keep me safe. But he's over two hundred years old. So, any of those abilities are possible... and we have no way to know what you can do."

Feeling much better, Lillian suggested that they go downstairs for dinner. Then Willow could shield them from Grandpa Dane and his talk about genetics, which were a bit too technical and complicated for them to enjoy.

Dinner was a huge roasted turkey, with all sorts of side dishes. To Willow's stunned mind, it almost felt like some sort of practice for Thanksgiving. Sitting at the table was an older man, appearing to be in his fifties, but Willow had learned that he was at least two decades older than that. He was talking to Chris and Lillian's father, who had the sort of glazed look that said he'd been lost long ago in the conversation, and could see no safe escape. Seeing her, his eyes lit with a desperate hope, and he blurted out a few words.

"Hans, I'd like to introduce you to Sheila's daughter Willow Rosenberg. From what Sheila had to say before the wedding, Willow's a sure fire pick for any number of Ivy League schools. Why don't you talk to her about some of your research? Willow, this is Hans Dane, your Great Uncle on your mother's side."

The older man, her relative, turned, looking at her with interest. His eyes were the same greenish-hazel as her mother's, but they had a lot more kindness and humor in them than her mother's eyes ever held. "I am pleased to meet you, Willow. Do you have any interest in genetics, or am I simply boring him terribly?"

She couldn't help smiling. "Actually, I have recently taken an interest in genetics. Before I was mainly worried about biology and electronics, but... well, now I am interested."

End part 2.

After dinner, Willow and Hans "please-call-me-Grandpa-like-Chris-and-Lillian-do" Dane made their way into the sitting room. Willow started asking a lot of questions, and while she didn't have the technical education to follow the finer points of genetic research, she could follow enough. There was also her near obsessive thirst for details. As she pressed for details on when he got interested in sorting out genomes and why, Chris and Lillian backed slowly away from the doorway, their eyes wide.

"She's smart. Soaks up information fast too." Vic's voice rumbled from slightly behind the twins, and they both jumped.

"Umm... you startled us." Chris' voice was a bit apologetic.

Lillian was eyeing him thoughtfully. "Are you really over two hundred years old?"

He gave a small grunt. "Yes, but I can't remember most of it. Someone else she knows, knows that I was around then..." His words trailed off, as if he was trying to figure out if they had made any sense to the girls.

Chris spoke, her words slow and puzzled, "Who would she know that's over two hundred... was this someone even there, or just looking at records?"

The twins went back upstairs to do their homework and left Willow to talk to Grandpa Dane. Vic slipped outside, feeling more comfortable lounging in the large tree. After all, he could still hear Willow talking, and if there was any danger, he would be able to react quickly. But if there was no trouble, he could just rest here, in the fresh air and sunshine.

Meanwhile, Willow was trying to figure out exactly how Grandpa Dane had identified the gene that gave a mutant the power to manipulate magnetic fields. It raised a few questions, and while he might be able to answer some of the things nagging at her mind, she had to know how he had learned these things.

"But, even with the best equipment in the world, wouldn't you need... tissue samples or something?" Her voice held curiosity and just a hint of worry.

He settled back, quiet and thoughtful for a few very long moments. "This is a very good point, Willow. I did have a tissue sample to work with. Two of them, actually. Both from mutants with the ability to manipulate magnetic energies, although... I have no idea how to tell if the ability would be strong or weak. I just know what the magnetic gene looks like."

Willow sounded a bit more troubled this time. "But... where did you get the samples? The two mutants... they didn't... they didn't get hurt, did they?"

He gave a small smile, as if understanding had finally dawned on why she was so worried. "The samples were entirely voluntary. One was from my niece Lorna, a very nice girl in college studying geology. The other..." He fell into thought, his words trailing off.

"Grandpa Dane? Who..." Willow paused, and on an impulse that she didn't quite understand, she listened in the same way that she did for metals, and realized that his presence was a bit different from her aunt Em's. She didn't know how to affect the magnetic presence of humans... people, but she could feel it. "Were you the other mutant?"

There was something in his voice, something quiet and almost resigned. "Yes, the other mutant is myself. I'm not particularly powerful, but... there it is."

For a few moments, Willow could just sit there, entirely and completely stunned. "So I have it coming from both sides... that explains it."

"What's coming from both sides?" His voice sounded curious, and for a moment, Willow wondered how much of her curiosity he shared about so many things in life.

She gave a small smile. "The magnetics, of course. You just said that you have the manipulation, and it makes your presence feel different, less fuzzy? But, you're related on my mom's side. There's also my dad's side, and... umm... I sort of discovered a cousin on that side with the same thing. Erik Lenscherr. So, it's coming at me from both sides. It's no wonder I can do the whole magnetic manipulation thingy. I wonder if Lillian has it? Or maybe Chris, if she's a mutant... Your niece has it too? Is it a dominant genome?"

"Erik... Magneto? You're related to Magneto? My goodness... although I'm nowhere near that powerful. It does sound like you were doomed to have it. As for Chris and Lillian... I don't know. They might have it, or they might not. It's hard to say without a few tests." He looked thoughtful and relieved at the same time.

Willow sighed. "Yes, I'm related to Magneto. It seems to surprise everyone, although you're taking it rather calmly. And I know that I have the same genetic deviation that lets him lift cars... I had a comparison done. There was a lot in common. That's part of the reason why I'm not going to flip on anyone and do the whole 'oh god, you're a mutant' thing. It would be rather hypocritical. Unless it was the surprised 'oh god, you're a mutant', which I can still be surprised, it's not like mutants come with id that says 'yes, I am a card-carrying mutant' and... um, I'm babbling, aren't I?"

With a chuckle Grandpa Dane nodded. "I can see how it might get tiresome. It is good that Crystal and Lillian have you to talk to them. It might be more helpful for them to have someone their own age offering sympathy."

"I can try. Besides, why not offer sympathy? It's going to be really hard on them, being pushed away for a few twists of genetics... It's not like it's something that you choose for yourself, after all." Willow was feeling better, and had a new batch of questions for Grandpa Dane, questions focusing on inheritance patterns, and on how he controlled his abilities.

"Yes... it will be hard. That is one of the reasons why I have concealed my own mutation. I am not brave enough to expose my difference to the public." There was a hint of sorrow in his voice, as if he wished that he had the courage or careless confidence to reveal his mutation to the world.

Eventually, their discussion of genetics ebbed, and Willow went to check on Chris and Lillian, wondering what they had been doing. If they had been moping about Brian and social rejection. Hoping that they weren't convinced that they faced a bleak future.

As it turned out, they were convinced of bleakness in their future, the bleakness that would come from flunking their Algebra tests. Willow found them glaring at the textbooks, muttering unhappy and rude things about their math teacher, the author of the textbook, and whoever had decided that they needed Algebra in the school curriculum. Willow had smiled, and offered to help them figure the art of it out, asking for a bit of help with some of the grammar in her English paper in trade. She had a tendency to let her sentences on paper run-on in the same way her words did when she spoke, and that made her English teachers rather unhappy.

The evening went fairly well, with no horrible crisis, no attacks from vampires, demons, prophecy-related strangeness, or anti-mutant mobs. Just the Stenner family, plus Grandpa Dane, Willow, and Vic, sitting in the house, relaxing.

end part 3.

The girls had all gone upstairs, supposedly to go to bed. And while they'd all changed into their pajamas, none of them were tired enough to sleep. They were sitting there, questions dancing through their minds.

"If I have some sort of mutant ability, what would I be able to do?" Lillian's voice was filled with a dreamy curiosity.

"Charm good grades out of evil math teachers?" Chris's teasing comment was supposed to make her sister laugh, and it worked.

After throwing a small pillow at Chris, Lillian grinned. "No, seriously. What sort of thing might I be able to do? Did you're talk with Grandpa Dane give you any ideas?"

Willow shrugged, her expression one of intense thought. "He said that he doesn't have any ideas from a studied observation of inheritance. You might have magnetics. You might have some sort of ability to manipulate something that's related to magnetics according to physics. Or maybe you have something entirely different. He also said that unless you start doing strange things or have a list gene tests done, all we can do is guess, and our chances would be as good to list nifty and weird things on a page and pick a random number on the list."

"Now, that's the scientific method for you..." Lillian sounded like she was trying not to laugh.

She smiled at her cousin. "Well, if there's a similar but not identical gene complex, we know it isn't magnetic manipulation. Then, it's probably something similar, some other type of manipulative ability, and I don't mean those eyelashes. If the variation in your genes is somewhere else entirely... well, then we have no clue."

"So, you're really saying that we don't know. But if we get some testing done, we might be able to guess?" Chris was laughing, her eyes almost sparkling.

Willow grinned. "Hey, can you pass me another blanket? There's a cold draft coming from somewhere."

The blanket hit willow right in the face, crackling with static. "No problem. It's even fresh and clean, right from the dryer."

Pulling it away from her head, draping the crackling blanket over her, Willow made a face as her cousins laughed. "Yeah, my hair's sticking up from the static, right?"

"Of course. But you should have expected it.... Chris always has baskets full of staticky laundry. Someone needs to tell her about these nifty things called dryer sheets." Lillian was teasing her sister.

Willow was giggling with Chris, more than a little wistful that she didn't have any sisters of her own. "But it smells all nice and fresh... Maybe it's just the house?"

"Fear the House of Static! Nobody gets out unfrazzled!" Chris' sounded like the announcer of some old, corny horror movie, the sort with lame plots, cheesy special effects, and melodramatic lines.

They collapsed into laughter, and from science and mutant inheritance, they slid into a discussion on old horror movies. Debating the relative merits of a slew of cult classics, and shredding their special effects to mirthful bits.

Inside the bedroom, the three girls thought no more on the ever-present static. But down the hall, Vic had been listening. The distance of the hallway was no impediment to him, not with his keen senses. He'd met mutants with many different abilities, one of them, the X-Man Storm, having the ability to call lightning bolts. Wasn't lightning just very, very big static from the sky? What if the static wasn't just a matter of the house, but was actually a sign of someone's mutation?

He smiled into the darkness, certain that as long as he stayed with Willow, his life wouldn't be boring. She lived over a place of demons, some of which were extremely challenging, and had a knack for getting involved in troublesome and dangerous situations. She was still plotting to possibly break into the house of some boy, the sort-of-ex of one of her cousins. Fighting demons in Sunnydale, and breaking and entering in San Diego... Willow was certainly going to keep things interesting.

He wondered about the whole hereditary thing that she'd discussed with the old man. About mutations being passed down in families. Had he been given is abilities by a different parent, or were they no more than the product of random changes? Had he left children somewhere with these altered genes? Did he even have children?

End part 4.

"I always liked the ones with Vincent Price." Lillian's voice was a bit wistful. "I think it was his voice... just made you want to take him seriously."

Chris nodded, clearly in agreement. "He had a great voice to listen too. But I preferred the monster movies with all the miniature sets being demolished. And it's not like there are really vampires and werewolves out there."

"Ummm... actually, there are. Vampires at least, since I haven't run into any werewolves, but if vampires are real, there could be werewolves too." Willow's voice was quite, and a bit worried.

Chris and Lillian looked at her, eyes wide, blankets wrapped around them. "What, really real? Like... Dracula is out there type real?"

"I don't think he's really out there. And none of the one's I've met can turn into bats or wolves, but yeah, really real. And dangerous, on account of eating people." Willow was thoughtful, and her voice had just a hint of doubt. How did she know that Dracula wasn't real? No certainty ... just that she'd never met him, and Giles hadn't mentioned him being real. Which was no guarantee.

Chris had a small thinking frown. "How do you know that vampires are real?"

Willow sighed, unhappily thinking over the past year and a half since she'd met Buffy. "Well, Sunnydale isn't just a quiet little town. It's little, but not quiet. There's something called a Hellmouth, this weird mystical evil power. It sort of draws evil things to it, like vampires and demons. There's a special person who has a destiny to fight them, and her name's Buffy... my =friend= Buffy. I sort of found out accidentally. But vampires are real, and if you're ever in Sunnydale, I can take you out for some hands on vampire hunting. Umm... quick tip, never invite some stranger into your house after dark. Vampires really do need a spoken invitation to enter someone's house. They don't reflect, and contrary to Lost Boys, crosses and holy water do work, the only thing garlic does is smell really bad. Vampires have a better sense of smell than humans, and they're really strong."

"Vampires are real?" Lillian seemed to be having a bit of trouble accepting the idea.

Closing her eyes, Willow reminded herself of how reluctant she had been to believe in them at first. "Yes, very real. They're as real as mutants, but without the publicity. And a lot more consistent in what they do. Super strong, faster, better senses, and that whole blood drinking no sunlight thing. I just... I want you to know how to be careful. I haven't got a lot of people that I care about, I don't want to lose you too."

" 'Too...?' You don't want to lose us too? As in, in addition to someone else that you've lost?" Lillian sounded nervous.

"Yeah.... I used to have a friend named Jesse, but he was killed by this vampire. There was also... well, I wasn't really close to them, but there have been a number of the other students at my school killed by vampires. Not to many friends, sort of on account of not having many, but... I don't want anything bad to happen to you, especially not something that we can prevent." Willow could feel herself blushing, filled with the worry that she sounded like a raving lunatic. Nobody believed in vampires now...

Chris and Lillian both looked shocked. "Killed... from your class? How many?"

Willow gave a dismayed sigh. "The average tends to be about forty percent of each year's graduating class, through their whole time... One here, one there, a few that just vanish. Sunnydale isn't safe, and we've got as many... no, actually more cemeteries than apartment complexes. They just tuck them here and there, with some nice screening trees so people don't start to say 'aren't there an awful lot of graveyards? Why yes, maybe we should move.' Instead, they see trees and think park."

"Oh my God... and your parents still live there? Why?" Chris' voice held some of the very same questions that Willow had wondered herself.

"My parents travel a lot, so I'm not sure that they know. They generally aren't home for too long at a time. As for why... Dad once said that Sunnydale had a good tax rate, so it would be cheaper to keep their so-called permanent mailing address there instead of moving. No clue why they moved there to begin with." Willow really wished that she had a few answers for those questions.

Lillian reached out, putting one hand on Willow's shoulder. She jumped a bit at the static shock that surged from Willow to her hand. "Stupid staticky blankets.... anyhow, you can always visit us here, in the large city of San Diego, where the apartment complexes far outnumber the graveyards."

Willow smiled, feeling much better already. "Yeah... maybe I'll have to visit more often. But, Lillian? I think maybe it's time to talk about Brian."

"What about him?" Lillian looked away, the words filled with pain.

Willow pulled out the now battered page that Chris had sent her. "Well, he asked you to marry him, and then you haven't seen him since the gene-scan. Don't you want to know what's his opinion and what's Mama and Papa Alvarez? Isn't it worth being certain?"

Lillian looked back, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "But what if... what if he really doesn't want to see me ever again?"

Chris was muttering a few things under her breath, and Willow suspected that they were very unfriendly things aimed at Mama and Papa Alvarez and their prejudiced ideas. With a small shake of her head, she answered. "Then we beat him up for being a Poopy-Head and try to help you get over him. You have the whole rest of your life, I refuse to let you spend it all moping over one rejection."

Lillian gave a small chuckle, her eyes bright with a mixture of tears, hope and laughter. "Willow... I don't know anyone else that after saying vampires are real would call Brian a Poopy-Head and threaten to beat him up."

With a grin, Willow hugged her cousin. "It's all part of my Willowy charm."

End part 5.

There was very little further discussion that night, and instead the three girls fell into an uneasy sleep, punctuated by unhappy dreams and nightmares. Dreams of rejection, and love shattered by fear. Dreams of persecution and misfortune, of all the tragedies that the world had to offer a mutant.

Willow was awake first, rubbing her arms in an effort to chase away the lingering remnants of dreams, static crackling over her body. Where had all the static come from? She knew there hadn't been this much when she was here for the wedding. But the air felt too stifling in here. She had to get out for a bit, to have some fresh air, to flush out the last bits of dream from her body. Her morning run should work wonderfully for that.

Glancing at her cousins, she noticed they were still asleep. Crystal was a bundled cocoon of blankets, and Lillian sprawled across her bed, mouth slightly parted, oblivious to the world. Obviously, neither of them would want to go with her. She could just leave a note downstairs, and maybe Vic would want to go on the morning run with her.

She pulled on some comfortable clothing, things that she'd packed to exercise in. Heading downstairs, she wasn't surprised to find Vic there, looking out the window while his fingers drummed an erratic rhythm on the sill.

"You look a bit restless... Morning run sound good to you? I just want to leave a note so nobody freaks out." Willow's voice lacked her usual cheer.

He glanced at her, a small frown on his face. "There were bad dreams. And too much static everywhere."

Willow stifled a giggle, barely. "Fear the house of static... Sounds like everyone had bad dreams. I know Chris and Lillian had them all night... and you probably heard them waking up too."

He gave a small nod. "Ready?"

Putting the paper on the table, anchored by a coffee mug, she opened the door. "Ready. Let's go get some fresh... well, not so staticky air."

The run helped clear away the fading traces of the unpleasant dreams, most of which she could barely remember. She just remembered the impression of painful rejection from... someone, the cause being that she was 'one of them, those mutant freaks', and the horrible things that people could do to each other, persecution and attacks.

Willow was starting to get a suspicion. She'd had those dreams, and Vic had similar ones, and she knew that Chris and Lillian had both had bad dreams all night. Things were starting to point towards a possibility. "Vic? Did anyone... or maybe everyone else in the house have bad or unsettling dreams last night?"

"Yeah. Lots of waking up and they weren't happy dreams. Can't say what they did dream about, but they didn't like it." He was looking at her, his expression making it clear that he figured she had an idea.

"I think... well, I remember that one of Xavier's people is a telepath, so she can look into people's minds or influence their thoughts. What if there's an empath or telepath in the house? If there was, and they had a bad dream or bad feelings... maybe they sort of shared the feelings with everyone else? Sort of a projected misery?"

He frowned a bit as he pondered the idea. "We all had bad dreams because there's an unhappy mind walker? Can't they keep it inside?"

Willow looked at him, and gave a small grin, intended to be reassuring. "Not if it's Chris or Lillian. They would have only recently had it develop, so the wouldn't have had time to learn how to keep it inside."

He nodded, and they continued their run in relative quiet. Willow's mind was turning over the possibility that one of her cousins was an empath. It had no connection to magnetics that she could see, but the evidence did seem to point towards one. Maybe that was the whole random change aspect of mutation?

She sighed, wondering if life ever became simple. Actually, it probably didn't, not while you could still think clearly. She would just have to adjust to having a complicated life, beyond being an "A" student, beyond fighting demons. Now, she had to worry about mutation and its presence in her family tree, and how to help her cousins deal with its effects.

"Tonight, we have to go pay a visit to Brian Alvarez. We need to find out exactly what's going on with him, and then we probably need to feed Lillian strawberry ice cream."

"Sounds like fun." Vic had a hint of a smile as he spoke.

End part 6.

Willow felt better by the time they'd finished their morning run, and was even smiling as she walked up the porch. Her smile lasted right up to the point where she discovered that someone had thrown the deadbolt lock, shutting them out of the house.

"We got locked out?" Vic's voice had a bit of rumble to it, a sign that he was not amused.

Willow closed her eyes, trying to feel the shape of the lock. "Yeah... the deadbolt... and I think the little knob and chain. But hey, they're metal, maybe I can..." She concentrated, feeling the location of the knob, sliding it along the little track and pushing just a bit to unfasten it, hearing the soft clatter of it's fall, the chain rattling against the door.

Vic's hand rested on her shoulder, and there was a low murmur "good, good... now the other one" in encouragement.

Willow carefully felt for the shape of the deadbolt, trying to twist and push in the right directions for it to open, and for a moment, there was resistance before there was a loud click. The door swung open, and she saw Lillian staring at the door from across the room.

"You... but the lock... You did that? Wow..." Amazement colored Lillian's words.

Smiling, Willow nodded. "Yeah... I wasn't sure if I could, but it was all metal, and I've been working more for control than big heavy lifting, you know?"

Vic was looking back and forth at the two girls, clearly not having deciphered Lillian's words. "She talks like you... no wonder you understood her."

Lillian smiled as she tucked a lock of hair back, clipping it firmly with a dark purple star so that the red streak fell down the center. "It seems that everyone had weird dreams last night... Did it skip you two?"

Vic growled and stalked over to the back sitting room, more of a glorified enclosed porch, and sat down, apparently wanting to be alone.

"Umm... should I take it that's a no?" Lillian had watched him, looking a bit skittish as he'd growled.

"Both of us had similar bad dreams. Exposure as a mutant followed by persecution and suffering. Repeatedly. It was part of the reason to go out and run." Willow felt an oddly uneasy sensation, as if she needed to sooth and reassure Lillian that Vic was safe, that he wouldn't do anything dreadful here.

Lillian sighed, hands searching for the other purple clip, which was dangling on the hem of her shirt. "I just wish I knew why everyone was having those dreams."

Willow reached out, plucking the clip from her cousin's shirt. "I have a guess. I think that either you or Chris is an empath, and projected last night, so everyone dreamed about the same thing, the empath's unhappy feelings and worries. I figure one of you, because it wasn't me, and anyone older should have learned a little about keeping their thoughts and feelings to themself, or at the very worst, nobody would be surprised by the collective dreaming thing, if that makes sense."

Lillian nodded, taking the clip from Willow's hand. "So... I might be an empath? Wait, we don't know if Chris is a mutant. Or do you think..."

"We know you are. She's your sister, so there's a fairly good chance, although she might not be a mutant. You're both the right age. I'll have to write to cousin Erik and see if he has any ideas for an empath to learn control... he knows a telepath, maybe if he doesn't know he can find out. But that's a different topic. I think we should go drop in on Brian Alvarez tonight, and figure out what he's thinking. I can help you, we'll be just fine to get out of any trouble, and at the very worst, you won't be trying to guess what he's thinking anymore."

Lillian sighed. "I'm almost not sure that I want to see him again. Shouldn't there be a way that he could have contacted me, if he really wanted?"

"Probably... but since he hasn't, we go find out why. And if need be, we kick his butt for breaking your heart, and after our chat with Brian, we come back here and have ice cream." Willow tried to keep her voice light, as if she wasn't watching her cousin struggling with heartache.

"I think we'll definitely need that ice cream. With chocolate sauce and sprinkles. Ice cream won't cure a broken heart, but..." Lillian's voice trailed away, and her eyes closed, a single tear glittering in her lashes.

Willow grinned, resting an arm on her cousin's shoulder, feeling as if she needed to make sure Lillian knew that she wasn't alone. "We can go buy all the ice cream and supplies this afternoon. You have people who care about you. We won't leave you alone and broken hearted."

It wasn't until later that Willow had a chance to ponder her reactions. She had felt like she HAD to make Lillian feel better. It wasn't just her normal desire to help, it was something else, this pull towards someone in pain and misery. The pull had lessened a bit when she'd comforted Lillian. It was strange, and it felt a bit... off. She was starting to think that the empath was Lillian.

As if a heart-broken teenager that had just been told she was a mutant wasn't bad enough, she could project her nightmares to others and created an emotional urge to make her feel better. Willow just hoped that the urge was the result of subconscious manifestation, rather than a deliberate effort.

Empathy had nothing to do with magnetics, did it? She didn't think there was a connection... so was it a random mutation, or was it coming from somewhere? How many of her relatives would turn out to be mutants?

Willow closed her eyes and tried to think about the plan to talk to Brian Alvarez, figuring that it would be less headache inducing than her questions about mutation patterns, the possible connection between magnetics and empathy, and the eventual mutant count of her relatives.

end part 7.

Everything felt a bit better after breakfast. Granted, Lillian was still broken hearted and upset over Brian, but Willow had a plan. They would sneak over to the Alvarez house in the night, the twins, Willow, and Vic because he'd just follow them anyhow. They would find Brian, and ask him a few questions. They would get answers, which might not make anything feel better, but it would solve the questions and uncertainties. Answers, even unhappy ones, were generally better than having only questions.

Chris had come down, her hair raised into wild spikes. She settled into a chair, and looked at Willow, an eyebrow asking why everyone seemed to be in such a mood. But the discussion would have to wait until a bit later, when Willow's aunt wasn't lurking and hovering over.

"I had the most horrible dreams... and I have the feeling that you have an answer, cousin red. Spill." Chris asked as soon as she had the chance.

"I think Lillian's an empath. We all had nightmares last night, the same sort of nightmares. That's just not natural. And since we know that she is a mutant..." Willow let her voice trail off.

"So... we all get to know how she feels? Really how she feels? Is that... that's sort of weird. Do all mutants do that? No, we'd have heard on the news..." Chris seemed to be thinking out loud. "You do magnetics. He's big and sort of scary and doesn't get old."

Willow grinned, leaning towards her cousin. "He's not that scary. And there's a lot of variety in mutant abilities. As for the whole 'surprise, your a mutant' thing, it's sort of scary and sort of neat all at the same time." She paused, looking thoughtful. "As I can say from the lofty position of less than a month knowing that I'm a mutant. It's still sort of neat and sort of scary."

"Willow... what qualifies as scary if he doesn't? And why doesn't he?" Lillian looked a bit puzzled, and as if she just might be wondering about her cousin's mental health.

For a moment, Willow just giggled. "Okay, I can see why people would find him scary. But... he isn't trying to hurt me or anyone I'm worried about, he doesn't radiate a feeling of evil nastiness, and he's doing his best to keep me safe. So, I don't find him scary. Scary was the six foot tall evil frog demon thing that wanted to eat me."

The response to that was a resounding 'eeew!'

"So, what's our plan, and will it make Mom ground us for the rest of our lives?" Chris smiled a bit as she sat down, the chair turned backwards so that she could lean her arms across the back of it.

"We go over there while it's dark, and after Aunt Em's asleep. Vic will go with us, so we'll be safe from anything nasty attacking while we're up to this. Then, we slip into the house, to Brian's room and find out what in the world he's thinking. Then, we slip back out and figure out what to do next based on what he said. Probably while eating ice cream." Willow smiled just a little bit.

Lillian gave a weak smile, as if trying to look calmer and happier than she really was. "Strawberry?"

Chris reached out, her hand touching Lillian with a visible blue spark of static. "We can take him if he's difficult."

Rubbing her shoulder, Lillian gave a little chuckle. "I'd hope the three of us... three of us plus Vic could take one teenage boy."

"I checked the freezer, there's strawberry and vanilla and butter pecan ice cream. Chocolate syrup in the fridge, and whipped cream. We can have all sorts of decadent ice cream." Willow had a near smile.

Lillian smiled, her fingers twisting her hair. "So, not only do we have a plan, we have ice cream. This is looking better."

The day seemed to drag on, myriad boring and trivial details filling the time. The grill-out was good, and there was plentiful food, more than enough meat to make Vic very happy, and enough kosher things that Willow had no problems either. She found herself spending most of the day chatting either with Zack when he wasn't trying to keep Lillian distracted, or talking to Grandpa Dane about genetics and inheritance patterns, which he said went all wonky in mutants. He even promised to keep in touch by email, and had a few whispered hints for not killing the computer with her magnetics.

A small eternity later, they were slipping out of the house, the sounds of Grandpa Dane snoring in the lower part of the house, and Aunt Em or maybe Kevin from the top. At least the noise made it a bit less important to move silently. Soon, they were outside with nobody showing signs of waking up.

"We made it! This is... sort of exciting and creepy." Lillian's whisper carried easily, making Willow smile.

"You haven't seen creepy until you've been out after dark in Sunnydale. Yeah, San Diego's dark, and the streets have stuff on them, but... no menacing feeling of impending doom, no threatening apocalypse this week, no demons intent on some big ritual sacrifice... This is nice." Willow smiled, stretching as she breathed in deeply of air tainted with nothing more sinister than pollution and smog.

There was a noise behind them, a clattering of broken glass and fragments of metal, and some growling, far deeper than fighting alley cats or dogs. After a few moments, silence fell.

Glancing backwards to see Vic emerging from a side alley, one hand brushing ashes from his chest, Willow sighed. "Although there are apparently some vampires here. I should have brought my stick."

Vic shrugged, his muscles rippling and his mane sliding over him, reminiscent of a lion. "Just minions. Not even particularly bright ones."

There was no further trouble for them as they made their way to the Alvarez house. Pausing to take stock of the situation, they looked at it, a two-story brick building, rising into the air very close to it's neighbors. Two cars were parked in the driveway.

" His room is the top one, on the left." Lillian's whisper told Willow the last bit of information she would need.

Now, it was time to act.

end part 8.

It wasn't very hard to get to the little balcony on the second floor, a small upper porch that had a door permitting access to the main house. Of course, it was locked, which only made sense in a populated city environment. But Willow had already discovered that she could unlock doors with her magnetics. This one seemed simple, and in moments, the three girls were inside, Vic remaining on the balcony porch in case of trouble. The stepped into the house, Lillian's eyes going teary with memories of happier times.

The door to Brian's room had a simple latch, barely even requiring a thought to open it. Softly, they entered the room, with Chris offering a hushed comment to Willow. "If you decided not to go to college, you could make a killing in burglary."

Brian was in his bed, sprawled mostly under the covers, his dark hair rumpled into strange shapes. One wall had posters of sports cars and jet planes, there was a desk with a lamp, a few model planes, and a picture frame, placed face down. There was a shelf of books, although it was too dark to tell what sort they were beyond paperbacks. Clothing was scattered in and near a laundry basket beside the door.

"He looks so peaceful." There was an odd wistfulness in Lillian's voice. "How can he be so peaceful when I'm so miserable?"

Chris frowned, obviously feeling protective of her sister. "I can wake him up. Get a few answers from him then."

She reached out, one hand touching his bare shoulder. There was a faint scent of ozone, almost like when Ororo had called lightning, and a blue white spark jumped from Chris' hand to Brian's shoulder. He jumped, half rolling over, revealing his gray boxer shorts as he looked up with wide eyes.

"At least he doesn't sleep naked. That would have made this even more embarrassing." Willow couldn't help it, she was just so glad that she hadn't broke into the bedroom of a naked guy.

"What... Chris? You're... in my room." He glanced around, seeing Lillian and Willow. He moved back in the bed, putting more space between himself and them, pulling the blanket around him. His eyes held fear.

Willow had a bad feeling about the outcome of this as soon as she saw that. Brian was afraid of them. If he was afraid, that couldn't be a good sign for the future of his relationship with Lillian. But... why was he afraid? Didn't he realize that Lillian was exactly the same as she'd been last month?

Lillian looked at him, her eyes full of troubled, conflicting emotions. "Why... you didn't even call or email or anything. I know that you could have at least sent an email if you really wanted..."

"You... it's not the same anymore. I keep wondering what you're hiding, what's not normal about you." Brian's voice was low, a hesitant whisper.

Willow reached out, one hand resting on Lillian's shoulder. "He's afraid."

Lillian looked at her, tears glistening in her eyes, one hand wiping at her cheek in an effort to remain calm. "But... nobody needs to be afraid of me. I'm just... Lillian Stenner. I'm not dangerous, I'm not powerful... There's nothing scary about me."

Brian made a small noise, like a half-swallowed word. "I... I don't hate you. I don't want to be afraid of you, Lillian, but... you're not the same. It's not the same. How can I know that you aren't dangerous, that you aren't hiding something terrible?"

Willow heard a small noise from the balcony, like wood splintering just a little. Vic must be listening to this. She was sure that he wouldn't be happy about it, was probably contemplating horrible, painful things to Brian. Softly, low enough that Brian wouldn't hear, but Vic would, she whispered " Now Vic, calm down. He's not worth it... they don't need to see him get mauled."

"But I am the same... And I can't do anything more than any other seventeen year old girl." Lillian's voice was sad, almost broken sounding. Maybe she was realizing just how hopeless things were.

"It doesn't feel the same anymore." Brian slipped one hand out from under the blanket, still huddled there, away from them. He didn't quite reach out, but it looked like he wanted to. "I... I don't want to be afraid of you."

"Who are you trying to convince, Brian? Us or yourself?" Chris whispered into the darkness and Lillian stood there, tears flowing down her cheeks as her hopes crumbled.

Lillian turned away from him, stumbling towards the balcony. "it doesn't matter anymore. If he's wanting us to believe or him to believe... he's still afraid of me."

Slowly, the girls left the room, knowing that things had changed. Knowing that nothing would be the same as it had been last month. They left, nothing to mark that end of Lillian's innocent dreams, her hope that things could remain the same.

It was Lillian that pulled the door shut tightly, closing that part of her life behind them. On the way out, she looked over, a half smothered whisper emerging. "Strawberry ice cream sounds really good about now."

End part 9.

The trip back to the Stenner house was quiet. Chris didn't know what to say, and Lillian was trying not to cry. They could feel Lillian's pain and confusion swirling around them, almost thick enough to taste.

"You need to learn to hide that. To not project everything." Vic's low rumble didn't exactly interfere with the quiet, but it did put into words something the others were thinking.

Lillian looked at him, tears glistening in her eyes. "How? How can I learn how to do that?"

Willow gave a small smile. "I can ask cousin Erik, although he might just say that I should talk... write to Charles. He's an old sort of friend that Erik has who's a telepath. He should have some ideas for you."

"Sounds... like more of a plan that I have. Are you sure there isn't a way to just get rid of the whole mutant thing?" Lillian tried to keep her voice from quavering, even as the tears ran down her cheeks.

Willow shook her head. "Sorry, it's permanent. Facet of genetics, just like having freckles. But it's not that bad, you can sort of get used to it. And on the bright side, your ability won't kill your computer."

"No, I just get to know every time someone lies to me, and to share my nightmares every time I'm having emotional problems. Yay me." Lillian sniffled at the end, the emotions to overwhelming for her to fight entirely.

They were quiet over their ice cream, the conversation being little more than a discussion of what toppings were superior, and the long effort that went into convincing Vic to have a banana split. He loved it after they finally talked him into it.

That night, Willow began her letter, which she would send to her cousin. She didn't want to tell him too much about Lillian's situation, wanting to respect Lillian's right to privacy.

Dear Erik,

I went to visit Chris and Lillian over Labor day weekend, partly because Lillian was having a few problems with her boyfriend lately. I thought maybe I could help her cheer up, and at the very least be a good listener, you know? But the problem wasn't something that any degree of listening or talking can fix.

Turns out I have mutants in the family on mom's side too. Lillian hadn't even suspected. It's hitting her pretty hard, especially since Brian the turns-out-to-be-not-so-nice broke up with her. Thinks she's all scary now.

Any advice for helping an empath learn some control? She hasn't got any yet, and we all agree that control is good. So, any advice would be good? Or... umm, maybe I should just ask someone else? Anyhow, we're trying to help her calm down - Vic says hi, by the way.

So, I've been fairly busy getting not a lot changed lately. Sunnydale is the same old place, with the same sort of welcoming people. School is going... well, it's going. People aren't teasing me much anymore, they seem to be afraid I'll do something terrible to them or something. They're afraid of me now... and I hate it.

Your cousin Willow Rosenberg

End part 10.

End Family Tree 12: One Family's Bonds.


	13. FT13: Wake Up and Smell the Trouble

Author: Lucinda  
  
Rating: PG 13  
  
No Willow pairing, mention of Xander/Tracie, mention of Cordelia crush on Vic  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable characters from BtVS or X-Men/Marvel comics. Willow's San Diego family are my own original characters, as are Tracie and Carl.  
  
Distribution: If I have given permission for you to have the previous "Family Tree" stories, yes. Otherwise, please ask.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Xander was feeling pretty good about things. Granted, he was still living on the Hellmouth, but the weather was nice, and he had a date with Tracie. They'd decided on a nice picnic in a park, to take advantage of the nice weather while it lasted. There would only be so many perfect days left now that school had started again. Oh yeah, he had a cute girl that liked him, and for once, she didn't seem to be inclined to maim devour or otherwise kill him or anyone else. He could hardly believe his luck.  
  
Suddenly, he heard a noise, something crashing and the sound of glass breaking into many little pieces. That couldn't be good, especially not when followed by someone shouting "There he goes! After him!"  
  
Tracie looked nervous, her face paling as she looked towards the noise. She dropped the spoon into the potato salad, her fingers clenching around his. "What's going on? Get who?"  
  
"This is Sunnydale... maybe it's a what." Xander's murmur was low, and he didn't know if Tracie heard it or not. He had the sinking feeling that the wonderful picnic date on a lovely day was about to crash and burn. A tiny part of him was just glad that it wouldn't be the result of him screwing things up, but a larger part was busy being very worried about whatever was happening. "I don't know what's going on, but I don't like it already."  
  
A gunshot rang out, followed by a frightened and pain filled shriek. He and Tracy looked at each other, both most clearly upset and worried and afraid.  
  
"Did I mention that guns make me very nervous?" Tracie's voice had a quaver to it, and she licked her lips awkwardly. Her other hand was making little motions, as if she wanted to pack everything up and flee, but knew there wasn't time.  
  
A figure came into view, running with a particularly lurching gait. Whoever... whatever it was, he was covered in green fur, with a pair of cut off denim shorts. And he was running away, with a bright splash of blood running down one leg.  
  
"They... it's a lynch mob!" Tracie's words were a shaky gasp, much too high and filled with dread. Her fingers were almost crushing Xander's, her grip painfully tight. "no no no no…"  
  
"umm… am I the only one who sees green?" Xander felt like things had gone from bad to worse. A lynch mob chasing a demon or a mutant… What if… what if someone were to try to go after Willow? Nobody had tried yet that he knew of, but… What if that changed?  
  
Another shot rang out, louder, and Xander heard what he could only describe as a high whine followed by a soft popping sound, and then his arm was splattered with droplets of something hot and sticky. It felt like everything slowed down, and he glanced down, seeing the red spots before his gaze drifted with agonizing slowness over to Tracie, who was falling down, her shoulder having this odd red mark that was slowly expanding... He smelled copper and potato salad and mustard, the mix making his stomach heave and twist.  
  
"I can't..." Tracie's words were a bare breath as she toppled, her body taking the curiously limp look of someone that was no longer conscious.  
  
That was when things went from merely terrifying to bizarre and terrifying. Tracie... changed. Her hair darkened, becoming red and short, while her skin darkened, turning blue, coarsening to have scales. Tracie looked almost entirely different... The shape of her bones was the same, but...   
  
Xander felt absolute panic and dread surge through him. Tracie had been shot, deal with that first and then figure out what to do about her turning blue. Call an ambulance first... And wait forever until it shows up. Hopefully that was still because of the weird way that time was crawling on, and why did the sky still seem so bright and cheerful, the bids singing again? Didn't they know that people had been shot? Answer a few of the questions, worry terribly about everything and got so incredibly confused. Everything was going weird...  
  
He found himself in the hospital, pacing the hallway, worried about Tracie being shot, about Tracie being blue, confused about everything... Things had gone out of control, gone crazy and he didn't understand any of it. He wanted to understand, wanted things to settle down enough that he could figure out what he was feeling. Was this shock? He called Willow, hoping that she was home, hoping that she could help him sort a few things out.  
  
end part 1.  
  
Willow sighed, not entirely certain if it was a good thing to be back in Sunnydale. But at least she knew where everything was, and what to look for to figure out if someone was a bad guy. Sunnydale was the place that had all her early memories and accomplishments. It was the place that had seen the recent bizarre changes in her friendships caused by her mutation and the subsequent discoveries.  
  
Buffy was still all weirded out over the Master, Xander was still skittish but talking to her, and she was friends with Amy and becoming friends with Cordelia. Life was just weird sometimes. Cancer, fear, and prejudice had been making changes in everybody's lives. Although it was almost an improvement that the people at school had stopped teasing her, she didn't like the fact that it was because they were afraid now.  
  
Cordelia had a thing for Vic, and he thought that she was fairly interesting as well. That... was sort of disturbing on several levels, but if it made them happy, good. Xander and Tracie seemed pretty happy for now, although she didn't know if Tracie had mentioned her shape shifting to Xander yet. Buffy... well, apparently all wasn't quite well with Buffy and Angel right now. Angel was a bit upset over that dance, and he and Buffy weren't communicating very well for anything beyond 'grave danger tomorrow at ten'. At least she was acting a bit more normal now that the whole thing with the Master was over with.  
  
Everything felt more tense already. Just feel that lovely Hellmouth atmosphere... Ugh. Willow tried to console herself that at least she still had some people that supported her. That was when the phone rang. She almost didn't answer it, but the chance that it could be important was too strong. Willow answered the phone, oddly certain that she wouldn't like what she would hear.  
  
:Wills? Oh, thank God you're home. I got to talk to you... You have to help me deal with this: Xander's voice, all tangled with fear and worry and confusion.  
  
"Xander? What's going on? Where are you?" She needed to make some sense out of his words.  
  
:I'm at the hospital. Tracie's been shot... and oh man... She turned blue and I don't know what's going on anymore.: His voice sounded almost like he was trying to cry.  
  
Willow felt cold dread go through her. She understood about the blue part, but... this could get touchy. "I'll be over soon."  
  
Looking up, she saw Vic scowling at the phone. "I'm pretty sure you heard that. I think it's going to be... something messy. I need to go to the hospital."   
  
"Are you sure I can't hurt him? There will be doctors right there." Vic sounded almost like a small child asking if he couldn't have just a little bit of candy.  
  
Willow tried not to laugh, really. "We aren't going to hurt Xander. We're going to try to offer a bit of comfort because of Tracie. He's had too much happen today to hurt him right now. I think he's maybe in shock."  
  
"How bad is she hurt?" Vic sounded much more worried about Tracie than Xander. Maybe it was because Tracie reminded him of Mystique?  
  
Willow shrugged, not able to answer. "I don't know. He said she was shot, and they took her to the hospital, but she isn't dead. That covers a pretty wide range."  
  
Vic didn't look very happy. Was it because they were going to see Xander, or because they were going to a hospital? He'd looked very uneasy at Dr. Hause's office, and even more when she'd donated marrow... Clearly, Vic had issues involving doctors and surgeries. Maybe it had some connection to why he couldn't remember his past...  
  
"I don't think they'll let me take the quarterstaff with me." She gave a small smile, wanting to make Vic feel better without making him feel self conscious about his nervousness. She was feeling nervous herself, although she couldn't quite figure out why.  
  
He gave a small, tight grin, holding out a zip-lock bag full of bolts and nuts and washers and screws of varying sizes. It looked like he'd just made a grab out of a hardware store... "Take this. They'll let you carry those. Won't consider them dangerous."  
  
She tried not to smile. Maybe Vic was just a tiny bit paranoid, but he was her bodyguard, wasn't paranoia in his job description? Especially since this was the Hellmouth, something really could be out to get her. Accepting the bag, she put part of them into her pocket, and the rest into her backpack. "Alright... although I really hope they aren't needed."  
  
"Better to have them and not need them than to be in trouble without." Vic was frowning, the sort of frown that meant he was almost remembering something. His hand twitched, as if he was trying to sink his claws into something, and there was a barely perceptible growl.  
  
Willow smiled then, touching his arm soothingly. "Okay, I'm prepared, you're prepared, let's go."  
  
"She turned blue. Will they still treat her?" He almost growled the question, clearly thinking unhappy thoughts.  
  
"I hope so." Willow tried to feel confident, surely there would be someone that would tend Tracie, even if she was blue? Right? Maybe it would be enough to hope that nothing else went wrong today.  
  
end part 2.  
  
The trip to the hospital was fairly rapid normally, but it seemed to stretch out and take forever. Willow made her way into the hospital, not stopping for directions. The year since she'd met Buffy had taught her far more about the hospital than she'd ever wanted to learn. But the advantage was that she knew exactly where to go to find someone admitted for a gunshot. Depressing, but... floor two, the south wing.  
  
"I smell them both. She's not bleeding anymore." Vic looked a bit happier ... happier enough that he'd stopped growling.  
  
Willow stepped into the room, seeing the hospital bed where Tracie rested. She was blue, her hair shorter, but she was still recognizably Tracie. But the hospital gown and extreme stillness wasn't the best look for her. She was breathing though, and had an IV in her arm. Xander was slumped in a chair next to her, looking pale and worried. His fingertips were touching her arm.  
  
"What happened?" She didn't want to upset Xander any more than he already was.  
  
"You're here... can you make things make sense again?" His voice was ragged, and quiet. "We were having a picnic... there was a noise... shouting. Something, maybe a mutant or maybe a demon... I really don't know but he was green. He was running away, and they were shooting at him. They hit Tracie instead... She fell down, turned blue... What am I supposed to do now?"  
  
"Green?" Willow blinked, for a moment entirely incapable of thinking about Tracie and Xander. Her mind turned back to the day of nightmares, when she had been cornered with Opa and a whimpering green figure by the mob. She'd thought the green mutant had been a figment of her imagination...  
  
"Why didn't she tell me? She turned all blue..." Xander looked at her, his face full of pain and confusion.  
  
She chuckled a little, although it wasn't exactly funny. Finally something that she could answer. "She figured that if you knew she wasn't quite a normal human, then you'd freak out like you freaked when you learned that I was a mutant. She liked you then, and if she was having a picnic, she still likes you. It would hurt her bad if you did that whole freaking out not talking anymore thing. It ... hurt when you wouldn't talk to me, and she didn't want you to hurt her like that."  
  
"You knew?" Xander looked at her, his surprise pulling him out of his shock.  
  
"I knew that she was a bit different, so Tracie and I had a talk. She just ... she just wants the same thing everyone wants, the chance for a normal life, to maybe find someone to make her happy. She thought ... she told me that you were sweet, and she liked you. She wanted to know how things would go, and she was afraid that if she told you, then you'd wig out." Willow shrugged, turning to pull the other chair over. She had no idea if it would interfere with the machinery if she used the magnetics to pull it over, and didn't want to take that chance. "She didn't want to hurt you, so I figured that it was her secret to tell you when she was ready."  
  
"She's no more dangerous than another teenage girl." Vic's voice sounded amused, and Willow wondered if Xander could tell that Vic was bending the truth. "She isn't a fighter, doesn't move right. No offensive powers, so that's not a worry."  
  
Willow looked at him, absolutely certain that Vic knew that a lack of lightning bolts or the ability to toss cars did not make someone harmless. "Vic ...."  
  
He shrugged, a small grin flickering over his face. He looked entirely unremorseful about the fact that he was bending the truth into a pretzel. Then again, maybe it was just that he didn't see any reason why Xander should worry more about Tracie than any other girl.  
  
"But... could she have really thought I would react that badly?" Xander sounded stunned, and almost small. As if he hadn't quite realized the way that his behavior had made Willow feel rejected.  
  
Vic growled a little, looking right at Xander. "Yes."  
  
Xander looked over at Willow, his eyes worried. "But I... I didn't..."  
  
"You did." Willow sighed, pulling one knee up so that she could lean her head against it as she sat, looking not at Xander but at Tracie. "Maybe you didn't mean to... but it hurt. You couldn't handle what I told you, even though I'm still Willow. You pulled away, freaked out and ranted, called my cousin Erik a terrorist, and you said that I'd end up just like him.... That's not dealing well with things, Xander. You avoided me.... I've seen more of Tracie in the last couple weeks than I have of you. Of course she thought you'd take it badly."  
  
Xander looked back at Tracie, his eyes glittering with tears that he refused to shed. "I've been an idiot."  
  
Noticing the silence that greeted his statement, he looked over, giving them a half-hearted grin. "Wow, don't everybody try to argue with me at once now..."  
  
"You have been an idiot." Vic growled, glaring at Xander. "Don't know why Willow puts up with you."  
  
"It doesn't change who I am, who Tracie is. Just like your semi-secret obsession with comic books or the fact that you actually like Sandra Bullock movies doesn't change who you are. You just... didn't want people to make fun of you or react badly to those things, so you didn't tell. And while I know being a mutant is a bit bigger than liking chick flicks, it's the same idea. She was afraid of your reaction." Willow looked over at Xander, hoping that he could understand. That this time, it would get through to him.  
  
For a while, Xander and Willow just sat there, with Vic hovering unhappily near Willow. Xander looked over, facing Willow. "I'm sorry. For reacting so badly, for wigging-out on you. I should have known that you ... well, you're still Willow."  
  
Willow smiled, feeling as if something had just been set right inside. "I'm glad to hear that... and I accept your apology."  
  
"So... how do I convince Tracie that I won't wig out on her?" Xander looked at Willow, as if he expected her to have all the answers.  
  
Willow leaned back, closing her eyes. She was still the source of all information on women to him. If it wasn't so reassuring, she'd have indulged her urge to scream at him. "I don't really know. Start by not wigging-out. Stay here as much as you can; talk to her. She'll wake up eventually, and if she finds you sitting with her, worried about her safety and not upset about the blue, then that will help a lot. But... I guess it just takes time."  
  
"Time... right." Xander sighed.  
  
"Maybe not as much as you think. She's waking up." Vic sounded far less cranky now.  
  
Willow looked at Tracie, hoping that she would be okay. She was so still that it made Willow nervous, but... had her eyelids just fluttered?  
  
Tracie's eyes finally opened, revealing them to be an odd yellow color, looking a bit glassy from the medications. Her words were a bit slurred, tough to follow. "Where... Xan? There was... a mob?"  
  
Xander smiled at her, reaching up to rest his hand over her cheek. "Glad to see you awake. We were worried.... Someone in the mob had a gun... you were shot. The doctor said that you should make a full recovery."  
  
Tracie blinked, the anesthetic slowing her thoughts. "Shot... no wonder... feels funny." She turned her head, looking along her arm, eyes lazily following the IV and suddenly stopped. "Blue.... Damn."  
  
Xander smiled just a little. "Yeah, blue. I was pretty surprised by that."  
  
She closed her eyes, drawing in a ragged breath. "I... didn't want you to find out like that."  
  
Willow reached over, gripping Tracie's cool fingers. "I should hope you didn't plan to be shot. You'll be okay."  
  
Xander leaned over, lightly kissing Tracie. It was barely more than a brush of his lips over hers, but it made her smile, as if a huge weight had been lifted from her. "I'm sorry that our picnic got ruined."  
  
  
  
Her fingers rose up, touching her now smiling lips. "It's okay..."  
  
Willow smiled, touching Xander's shoulder lightly. "We'll just leave you two here. I can go see if there's any of the stuff from your picnic still there or if someone has helped themselves to a four-year-old, battered picnic basket."  
  
End part 3.  
  
It wasn't until they were out of the hospital that Vic really seemed to have relaxed. "What about Green?"  
  
Willow sighed, rolling her shoulders a bit to try to release some of the tension. "I don't know. I didn't know that he was real.... I don't think he could be much older than I am. He must be so frightened... if he's still... if they didn't get him."  
  
Vic growled, his claws flexing at the idea of a mob "getting" a mutant. "Not a happy thought."  
  
"No, it isn't. But it could have happened. I guess... we can try to find him, try to help him if we can." Willow felt uncertainty fill her at the idea. She wasn't a doctor, how much did she know about injuries? Memories of helping Buffy with her post-patrol injuries trickled forth, and Willow sighed. Maybe she would be able to help after all.  
  
It didn't take too long to find the remains of Xander and Tracie's picnic. The basket was empty, and nothing more beyond the frayed blanket could be found. Willow sighed, folding the blanket, slipping a few bolts into the folds. She then put the blanket in the basket, and slipped a few washers into the loose woven wicker, enabling her to float it along behind her. Vic was a bit lower on the small hill, checking for the scent of the green mutant.  
  
"This way... he was bleeding and afraid." Vic sounded unhappy again.  
  
Willow followed, a little nervous, and part of her wondering exactly what they would do when they found the green mutant. He'd been injured, and he was afraid. Would he even be willing to trust them? Where could he stay? Her house was only so large, and she couldn't hide too many people from her parents when they were home.... Priorities: find him first, treat any injuries, =then= figure out where he can stay.  
  
Vic led the way to a small cave, not very impressive and little better than a hollow in the ground. Blood had spattered to the ground, just a few drops, but that was enough. Willow closed her eyes, trying to listen with that magnetic ability that she had. She could feel him, a single humanoid presence inside. She couldn't actually do anything about the magnetic field he created, but she could easily find him, and determine that the bullet wasn't still in his body.  
  
"Wait outside." Vic's voice was low, not quite a growl.  
  
Vic ducked inside the cave, and Willow fretted, wondering what was happening. She worried about the green mutant attacking Vic, about greenie being badly hurt, about them falling, or the cave collapsing... But they had to be... well, not quite okay, but close enough.  
  
Vic came back out, the green mutant following. His hair was a slightly darker green, longer and a bit wavy. He had hazel eyes that were wide with worry. He looked afraid of Willow, slightly less afraid of Vic. "Umm... hi? You were... during the nightmares. I saw you."  
  
Willow smiled, feeling a pang at the fear in his eyes. "Yeah. I wasn't sure if you were real. Let's go, I can bandage your arm for you."  
  
"You're sure? Most humans... I seem to scare them. And this place: it's not safe." He seemed so skittish. He didn't look very old, maybe her age, possibly a little older.  
  
"Sunnydale definitely isn't very safe. Too many vampires." Willow nodded, hoping to reassure the poor guy. "And I'm a mutant too."  
  
"Don't look like one." His words were almost too soft to catch.  
  
Shaking her head, Willow gestured for the basket to follow along. "I look normal. But I'm a mutant. I even had genetic testing done, and I can pull a chart and point out every point of deviation, although I don't know if all of them are related to my mutation or not. I'm Willow, this is Vic. What's your name?"  
  
"Carl." His voice was soft, almost shy.  
  
Willow grinned, feeling a bit better already. Carl seemed to be calming down, which was a very good thing. "I have bandages and pain killers."  
  
"Won't your parents mind?" He sounded worried.  
  
Looking at him, Willow wondered if maybe his parents had thrown a fit about his mutation. "They're out of town right until Monday. And neither of them have particular problems with mutants in the abstract."  
  
"What about under their roof?" He almost whispered the words, as if afraid to bring more tragedy upon them.  
  
"It will be okay." Willow promised, determined that it would be. Determined that things would get better for Carl, and hopeful that her parent's wouldn't freak out about things.  
  
End part 4.  
  
Willow felt grateful that Carl's injuries were something that she could treat. With the bullet no longer in the wound, it became a rather deep puncture, one that she could rest certain hadn't been made with some infectious demon slime. She gave him some antibiotics and painkillers, and applied the bandages as best she could, hoping that the fur wouldn't make the bandage move.  
  
"You're frowning." His voice was soft, a bit sleepy. But he was still watching Willow, as if he wasn't quite certain that he trusted her.  
  
Sighing, she looked at him. "I'm just.... I'm not a doctor, and my mutation doesn't have anything to do with healing... not as far as I know, anyhow. And will the bandages slip because of your fur? You should probably eat something, does anything sound particularly good?"  
  
"Err... anything. Something cooked." Carl looked a bit overwhelmed.  
  
Willow turned to go upstairs and get him something, certain that she could fix up a few things. She had to smile as she heard Vic's not quite whisper. "That's Willow. She babbles, and cares. It's real. She's real."  
  
But where could he stay after he was better? She couldn't hide a green teenage mutant in her house without her parents noticing eventually. Her mother would probably have a fit abut her bringing a boy into the house. As for her dad... well, it was hard to predict what he'd do. She allowed herself to worry about that for a while, fixing him a turkey sandwich some sliced veggies for him. With a bottle of juice floating behind thanks to the delight of metal caps, she made her way back into the basement. "Carl? I got you a sandwich...."  
  
"Thanks." He smiled a bit, taking the sandwich. It wasn't until he had to tug at the juice for it to move that he spoke again. "How is that working?"  
  
Willow sat down, feeling a little nervous of his reaction. "Magnetics. I can keep it up by the metal lid."  
  
"Like... like Magneto?" He looked partway between awed and worried.  
  
Willow felt a small knot of tension form in her stomach. "Yeah, like Magneto. It's the same ability that he has."  
  
"Oh." Carl looked like he wasn't certain how to react to that. Instead, he sipped at his juice. "There... I thought there were people on the hill."  
  
"Xander and Tracie. Xander's my friend... they were having a picnic, and things..." For a moment, Willow wondered how much to say, before deciding on just a little bit. He might have heard the sirens of the ambulance anyhow. "Well, Tracy got shot. She's going to be okay, and Xander's staying with her at the hospital. If you're worried, neither of them blames you for it. Umm... is there anyone that you wanted to contact? Family, friends, anybody?"  
  
"No, I didn't have a lot of friends before, and when this happened... my dad freaked out." Carl sounded sad, almost wistful. "Mom's been gone for years... some sort of cancer."  
  
Glancing at Vic, Willow noticed that he seemed to think Carl was being truthful with them. That was one worry down, just because all mutants weren't evil didn't mean that a person who happened to be a mutant couldn't also be a dangerous jerk. "I'll try to help you. Now, you should get some rest. And remember: vampires can't come in without an invitation, so they won't be able to try to get you in here."  
  
Carl seemed to relax at that. "Good to know. They can be awful scary."  
  
Willow made her way back upstairs, flipping on CNN at a low volume. "Well, this just complicated things. But he's safer here."  
  
"Are we safer with him here?" Vic looked thoughtful, as if he didn't quite trust Carl.  
  
"I don't know. I don't think he has any particularly dangerous personal enemies, or they would have found him. Random vampires we can deal with, and the mob doesn't know he's here." She sighed, tucking her feet under her. "I couldn't just not try to help him."  
  
"Softie." Vic's words held no malice, but it was clear that he thought it could get her into trouble.  
  
Propping her arm against the chair, she looked at the debates over a proposal for tougher sentencing for crimes committed with mutant abilities. "I know."  
  
End part 5.  
  
Buffy ended up at her house bright and early the next morning, pounding at the front door just as Willow was finishing her breakfast. They'd already had their morning run, and Willow had put out a glass pitcher to make sun tea for later, since she had the feeling that Giles would end up at her house at some point this week.  
  
"Bunny's going to break the door." Vic snickered, teasing a little by choosing to use the wrong name for Buffy.  
  
"Calm down!" She called towards the front, hoping to save the door. "Is it just Buffy?"  
  
"Yeah, and something has her upset." Vic dropped his plate into the sink, shaking his head a little. He still didn't care much for Buffy.  
  
With a sigh, Willow pulled the chain and opened the door, hearing a small shuffle as the door suddenly wasn't there for Buffy to hammer at. Vic started to snicker, and Willow tried not to laugh as she moved towards the front of the house. "I hope you didn't break the door, Buffy."  
  
Buffy looked sort of thrown together, her hair in a loose pony tail, a loose tank untucked from her shorts. No makeup added color or shine to her face. "I can't find Xander!"  
  
"You sure destiny got the right girl?" Vic's question was murmured with a smile.  
  
"Hey, that's… you shouldn't tease her like that." Willow smiled, one finger pointing at Vic as she tried with more amusement than sincerity to convince him not to mock Buffy. "Did you try the hospital?"  
  
  
  
"What! Why would he be…" Buffy looked even more worried for a moment. "Wait a minute, why aren't you panicking?"  
  
"Tracie was shot yesterday, and taken to the hospital. Xander was staying there to watch her, and the doctor said that she should make a full recovery. He called me after it happened." Willow sighed, giving Buffy some of the information.  
  
"Tracie was shot? You're sure that she'll be okay? Oh… Is there somewhere that I can train a little? I'm feeling all… Wait, can I beat up the people responsible?" Buffy looked frustrated and relieved.  
  
"I'm pretty sure the people responsible were humans, and I don't know who had the gun. Didn't you say that you didn't beat up normal humans?" Willow sighed. "Yes, Tracie was shot in the shoulder, she's going to be alright."  
  
"If you feel the need to try to hit something, you and I can spar in the back yard." Vic spoke towards Buffy, his dark eyes full of something as he smiled. Not quite maliciousness, but Willow had the feeling that he intended to try to play just a little, maybe try to hurt Buffy for the all ways that he considered her to have failed as a friend.  
  
Buffy looked at him, her eyes traveling over the sheer size of him, and she nodded. As she spoke, she turned and walked towards the back door. "Right, I could use a little more practice against way longer arms than me."  
  
Vic growled a little, and Willow put her hand on his arm. "Vic… don't break her. If she's too badly injured, they she won't be able to deal with the disgustingly slimy thing that you said you smelled near the old factories. And… she's still my friend, even if she's had a lot on her mind lately."  
  
"So… I have to play nice?" He looked less than thrilled.  
  
Willow paused, thinking about how Buffy had reacted to everything. Her stunned distance at the discovery that Willow was a mutant, the way she'd closed up at the mention that Cousin Eric was Magneto. "No serious injuries, we still want her to be able to go out and kill the slimy thing. But she doesn't have to know that you're going a bit easy on her. And Giles is always saying that we need a better way to test her reaction time…"  
  
His grin would have been petrifying if Willow wasn't absolutely certain that he was on her side. "I can work with that."  
  
Shaking her head, Willow watched Vic make his way to the back yard, his entire body eager, his movements somehow lighter, more predatory. He was going to try to beat Buffy just as much as he thought he could get away with… Maybe it was a good thing that Buffy wasn't in any of her good clothing? She'd best call Giles and let him know that Xander wasn't missing. Or maybe the hospital first to make certain that he was in fact, just waiting with Tracie, and hadn't vanished? It wasn't paranoia if there really was the possibility of something getting you on the way home.  
  
End part 6.  
  
The phone rang for a moment, before Xander's voice answered. :Harris House of Pizza… ugnnn no, umm… who's calling?:  
  
Willow giggled, moving so that she could look out the window and watch Vic and Buffy sparring. "It's Willow, of course. Buffy was all freaking out because you're gone, and I wanted to make sure that you were really just still at the hospital. Is Tracie feeling any better?"  
  
:Sort of yes, and sort of no. The doctor said everything's looking good so far, but there's this bruise, and it's got to hurt. Apparently, if they give her enough to cover the pain, it's also enough to put her under, so there's the choice of no pain, or she can think. And the food here is awful.: He sighed, and there was a moment of quiet. :Is there any chance that I can talk you into smuggling in some real food for us?:  
  
Willow winced as Vic tossed Buffy in this amazing arc, the Slayer headed right for the tree in the neighbor's yard. Buffy managed to catch a branch, and did a sort of gymnastic looking flip and dropped to the ground, leaping back towards Vic with a look of annoyance. "Well that should get her a morning workout… umm, right, food for Xander and Tracie. Any requests besides donuts?"  
  
:Yeah... what's going on that you're half distracted by? And Tracie said if you can find anywhere that does waffles to go, she'd like some with blueberries and whipped cream. And sausage, and some good orange juice if you can.: Xander's voice sounded a little more coherent, as if he wasn't quite so sleep fuzzed anymore.  
  
Giggling, Willow watched as Buffy kept trying to kick at Vic, who was dodging her feet and swiping at her stomach. "Buffy is sparring with Vic. He threw her into the Landon's oak tree. I think I can manage the waffles. Your picnic basket and blanket were there, anything else was gone."   
  
:What about greenie?: The question revealed that Xander had been learning about Willow and her new ways after all.  
  
"His name is Carl, and he should be okay too. I think he's maybe a year older than we are." She sighed, remembering how afraid he'd been. How he'd been so worried that her parents would panic and throw him out.  
  
:Wills, you got to do something about taking in all these strays. You're running out of room.: Xander sounded like he couldn't quite decide if he should worry, or be amused.  
  
"I know. Once Vic's done tossing Buffy around, we'll go get some real food to bring in to you two. Too bad I can't get this on video, you'd love to see it." Willow smiled as she let Xander return to his protective napping.  
  
She just watched for a while as Vic and Buffy sparred. It was obvious that Vic was having fun, he didn't get nearly this much of a work out with most of the things they fought. Buffy was fast and agile enough to keep him busy. Buffy… well, she didn't look like she was enjoying herself quite as much, but she didn't look like she was seriously injured. The workout had to be good for both of them.  
  
Willow was also quite aware that there was simply no way that she could manage anything near that level of physical ability. Maybe the flexibility, but not the speed or strength. And it took her considerably longer to heal. There was a very good reason why she didn't try fighting all the dangerous things of Sunnydale by herself…  
  
Shaking her head, she started gathering up the pillows, tossing them back onto the couch. It wasn't that she was helpless, especially not now. But she definitely wasn't as strong as even a minion vampire. There were things that she could do, and some of them were pretty impressive, if she did say so herself. And if she practiced, Willow was sure that she could come up with some more neat tricks.  
  
She checked in on Carl, discovering that he'd decided to relax and read a few things that afternoon, and that the bandages were staying in place just fine. He really didn't feel like trying to do much of anything, and said that he'd be just fine in the house by himself for a while. Maybe he'd check what was on the television, or just bask in the delight of air conditioning.  
  
Buffy and Vic made their way back into the house, bits of grass and leaves clinging to them, more leaves on Buffy than Vic. Vic looked like he'd just had the greatest time, like riding a wonderful new roller coaster or acing that tricky test... Well, maybe Vic was more a roller coaster person than a books and tests person. Buffy gave a bit of a wave, and mumbled something about going home to shower and collapse until dark. Willow had just giggled, and waved a cheerful goodbye to the Slayer.  
  
"Xander wanted to know if we could smuggle in real food for them. Tracie's request was for waffles. Did you want to clean up a bit and go with?" She tried to keep her voice calm, to make certain he didn't feel like she was demanding that he go.  
  
Vic paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Food yes, hospital... hmm. Is Giles going to be there?"  
  
"He said he planned to try to visit, and since this is Saturday... he should be there by the time we're done getting food." Willow smiled, thinking that it looked like Vic might be willing to let himself skip the hospital. He really seemed to have issues with most things medical.  
  
"Good. Take your bolts. If he's there, then you have an ally inside. I can come back here and try to figure out more with Carl." It was possible that Vic still considered Carl as a potential danger. Either that or just about anything was a more enjoyable prospect than lurking at the hospital.  
  
Smiling, Willow pulled two bags of mixed metal bits. A small one for her pocket, and a larger one for her backpack. She fussed with the balance, and read over her history assignment while waiting for Vic to be ready, and they were off to find food.  
  
end part 7.  
  
They had found a restaurant that had an all you-can-eat breakfast buffet. It was wonderful, and Vic certainly got the most value for the deal. The cooks would sigh in dismay at his arrival, and whichever waiter they ended up with would either have a nervous expression or a gleeful smile. Some of them were more worried by the huge man with the sharp teeth, others focused more on the nice tip at the end. But the food was delicious, and there was plenty to choose from.  
  
Charlie the waiter's eyes just about bugged out when Willow said they would want three orders of waffles and an order of sausage to go. He looked a little relieved when Willow said they were for some friends of hers that couldn't join them for breakfast. It was almost funny, and Willow was quite certain that Charlie deserved his nice tip.  
  
The trip to the hospital was at the same time fairly quick and excruciatingly long. The weather was fairly warm, with a gentle breeze and a clear blue sky, perfectly normal for this time of year. Except that Tracie had been shot, and Xander was sitting at her side in the hospital, shouldn't that show itself somehow? Shouldn't there be ominous clouds, or rain or fog or something? Apparently, that only worked in the movies.  
  
"Giles is here." Vic's rumble at the hospital doors was a welcome interruption to her thoughts.  
  
"Good. So, this means that since Giles is here, and I have my little bits and pieces, you don't have to go in if you don't want. You can go back and talk to Carl." Willow smiled, certain that Vic would rather not be here.  
  
"Be careful." He looked at her, as if he was worried that she would find trouble inside and not notice.  
  
Leaning forward, she gave him a hug. "I'll be careful. I'll watch for any potential danger, demony or human, although I think we can probably figure not many vampires due to sunshine. And I promise to choose me in any them or me situation, even if they're human. Feel better now?"  
  
"No. But it will do." He grinned at her, and started back towards the house.  
  
Willow shook her head, smiling as she made her way to the room where Tracie was supposed to be resting. She had waffles to deliver, and the feeling that Xander and Tracie would be happy to get them. And wouldn't that be the most likely place for Giles to be as well?  
  
And there was the room, with Giles and Xander having a talk about the proper foods for a picnic while someone, almost certainly Tracie, laughed. She slipped into the room, seeing that Tracie was still all blue, and Xander looked… remarkably like he'd spent an uncomfortable night sleeping in his clothing. "Hey… I got waffles."  
  
Tracie chuckled from the bed, her voice sounding a bit different like that. "With berries and whipped cream?"  
  
Willow grinned, handing the marked box to Tracie and the other two to Xander. "Allegedly. I asked for them anyhow…"   
  
Xander grinned. "Thanks, Wills. You're the best friend a guy could ask for. Really. Even after… everything, and… I'm glad that I have a friend like you."  
  
For a moment, Xander was quiet, before flipping open his waffle box with a sheepish grin. "And that sounded incredibly sappy, didn't it? Next thing I know, I'll be appearing on Oprah."  
  
Willow and Tracie just laughed, and Willow gave him a reassuring grin. "Nah, it wasn't that bad. Nowhere near enough tears for Oprah."  
  
"Ahh, Willow? How is Buffy? Xander mentioned that she was err… Sparring with Vic, and I was a bit worried." Giles shifted in the seat, looking uncertain. Probably lingering concern over Vic and his possible danger.  
  
"I made him see the value of not going too hard on her this morning. Full speed, but not full threat. You did mention Buffy needing to practice against fast moving opponents?" Willow smiled.  
  
"How did you talk him into that? I had the distinct impression that he… didn't particularly like Buffy." Giles sounded relieved.  
  
"There was some particularly bad smelling thing on the south side. I just pointed out that if he beat Buffy up too much, we'd have to go kill it instead of having her deal with it… And he was perfectly agreeable. No broken bones, no gouges, nothing serious at all." Willow offered the explanation, hoping to reassure Giles.  
  
Giles sighed, and sagged backwards in the seat. "Slightly enlightened self interest. This is the safety net for my Slayer. What is the world coming to?"  
  
"The twenty first century?" Xander offered the feeble joke, trying to lighten the mood. He smiled at Tracie, clearly worried about her, caring how she felt, how her recovery was going.  
  
Tracie chuckled a little. "He's right. The whole world is changing, and that will make changes for everybody, even Slayers." She paused a moment, looking at the waffles. "What is a Slayer anyhow?"  
  
Giles sighed, as if he hadn't meant to bring it up, which was probably the case. "It's… rather complicated actually. Hmm… vampires and demons are real, and they are often a danger to humanity – which would include mutants, although that hasn't been a historical question. Slayers are chosen by destiny, Fate… the Powers That Be or whatever name you wish to give, but they are chosen to fight those dangers. When a Slayer is Called, they become… stronger, able to fight things that are much to dangerous for normal humans. They are protectors."  
  
"What do Slayers use for guidelines for dangerous demons?" There was worry in Tracie's voice, and she was now looking at her toes, currently blue with a hint of scales.  
  
"Generally, attempts at destroying the world or significant portions of it, a diet of humans, or tendencies towards dismemberment, maiming and other harmful activities towards others. Other things that are not precisely the same are observed, often from a distance, just in case the non aggressive behavior is only temporary." He shook his head, looking very tired. "There have been Watchers guiding Slayers for thousands of years, and there are still surprises from life. Buffy is far more… tolerant than some Slayers, and her pattern is that unless something is trying to cause harm, she leaves them alone."  
  
"So, I don't have to worry about her killing me, just not talking to me the way she's been all nervous about Willow." Tracie sighed, taking another bite of waffles.  
  
"She's getting a little better." Willow offered, still not thinking that things with Buffy were good again. She was having better luck with Xander and Cordelia, which just sounded wrong.  
  
  
  
"That's good. Giles nodded, as if his mind was already trying to sort through something. "I think I can leave you to your rest and recuperation, Tracie." Giles stood up, polishing his glasses as he made his way out of the room.  
  
Willow smiled, also standing up. "Get better soon, and enjoy the waffles."  
  
Xander smiled a little around a mouthful of those waffles, making a muffled noise that could have been almost anything, and a small wave with his fork.  
  
She was still smiling about that on the way out of the hospital. Back to her house, where she had Vic and Carl, and maybe… yes, it was definitely time for another letter to Erik.  
  
End part 8.  
  
Opening the door to her house, Willow heard the now familiar sounds of the wrestling show. Vic delighted in it, partly for the violence, even if much of it had to be faked, and partly… well, she wasn't quite certain if there was any need for an additional reason. Carl was there also, both of them apparently riveted by the action. She smiled, shaking her head at the pair of them. It just seemed so… normal.  
  
Vic looked up, and gave a small wave. "How's Tracie? The boy behaving, or do I get to gut him?"  
  
"You definitely seem to have a bit of a dislike for him, don't you?" Willow snickered, part of her picturing the way Xander would panic if he heard that question even as another part felt guilty for being amused. "She's recovering nicely, and Xander's been there with her. He's doing quite a lot of worrying, but she's recovering nicely. She was awake, and sort of eager to leave the hospital."  
  
"That's… well, not quite good, but I'm glad that she'll be okay." Carl seemed to relax a little at that. "Are you sure that it won't be a problem for me to be here?"  
  
"I'm sure. Maybe not for forever, because the house isn't that big, but for now it will be fine. Don't worry so much." Willow smiled, although she was wondering about that. The house simply wasn't big enough to keep bringing home mutants and letting them stay here. "You guys just keep watching your wresting, I'm going to go write a letter."  
  
Vic grinned, and made a low comment. "Tell Erik hello for me."  
  
"Of course. Should I mention you and Cordelia?" Willow grinned as she teased him.  
  
"No…" Was Vic actually blushing, or was it just the lighting from the pyrotechnics on the screen? "There's not anything to mention yet."  
  
"Yet being the key word." Willow smiled as she made her way to her room. Vic and Cordelia… it was baffling, and should have felt so incredibly wrong, but… But somehow, she thought that it just might not go to badly. Maybe they wouldn't end up happily married with a house and children, but she could see the pair of them… well, actually, she didn't want to see them. But they might work. Of course, it could also end in near disaster, but she'd rather not think about that.  
  
She sat down, writing about how she was becoming friends with Cordelia, how Buffy was being less distant but still seemed rather freaked out by the whole situation. Then, she wrote some about Xander and Tracie, explaining how their romantic picnic had been interrupted by a would be lynch mob chasing a mutant – who had got away and should be alright now, but Tracie had been injured. That had made Xander take a hard look at a few things, and he was much better now, no longer freaking out about her, although he still found it a bit unsettling that she had a relative of such a colorful reputation. Her grades in school were doing good, possibly because she was spending a lot less time tutoring, since few people wanted to risk being that close to a mutant. She still felt rather hurt by that.  
  
She poured out her frustrations and the minor triumphs onto the paper, sharing the pain of rejection and the delight of the people that stood by her, including that Vic said 'hi'. Her control was increasing, and she was hoping that she would shortly no longer be a danger to electronics. She'd also learned about a relative on her mom's side that was helping her learn more about genetics, which was interesting. In the end, the letter was so long that she could barely squeeze it into the envelope.  
  
Willow collected the mail as she deposited her own letter into the mailbox. For all the dangers of Sunnydale, nobody would be stealing the mail. Shaking her head, she shuffled the envelopes as she looked at what had arrived. Water bill, advertisement to box-holder about a new shoe store, a flyer for somebody campaigning for the office of City Treasurer, and a letter from Erik. Willow squeaked with glee, and practically danced into the house.  
  
"What has you so happy, red?" Vic's rumble held hints of laughter.  
  
"Erik sent a letter!" Willow just beamed, anticipating the chance to read it.  
  
"He should be recovered from the surgery, right?" Vic's voice held an undercurrent of worry.  
  
  
  
"Hopefully." Willow settled on a chair near them, just in case there was something that Vic would want to know. She was still smiling as she opened the letter.  
  
There was some advice for Lili, carefully gathered from his years of knowing Charles, as he didn't want to reveal her condition if she was trying to hide it. Prison was as blandly dull as ever, although they'd brought in some new books, including a few Agatha Christy novels. Dr. Hause had assured him that he was healing nicely, although he was convinced that Dr. Hause had noticed something unexpected at the last group of tests. He'd made a sort of surprised noise, but hadn't clarified. He asked if she'd had a talk with her parents yet about her test results, and offered his hopes that when she did, things went alright.  
  
Maybe things in Sunnydale would turn out well after all. Or at least, not too badly, considering that it was the mouth of hell. Willow sighed, once again reminded that her life wasn't quite normal.  
  
Looking at Vic, she smiled. "He's recovering nicely, and thinks Dr. Hause made a surprised but not worried noise at his last check-up. Prison's still boring, but they brought him some more books."  
  
"You're getting letters from someone in prison…" Carl looked at her, shaking his head a bit. "I don't know if I even want to know."  
  
Willow giggled, looking at his bemused expression. "It's not anything that bad. I'm writing to my cousin. He's actually a fairly decent guy, he's just a bit overly worried about a few things."  
  
"How does someone end up in prison for being a bit overly worried?" Carl looked at her, eyes narrowing slightly.  
  
"err…." Willow blinked, considering the options. She would just have to tell him. "Well, my cousin is Magneto."  
  
Carl's jaw dropped, and he blinked, looking almost like a fish for a few moment. "M… Magneto? Your cousin is… ohhh."  
  
"Yeah, Magneto. He's actually a decent guy, really." Willow wondered if Carl was going to join in the group of people who were afraid of her uncle, or if he would consider the idea neat.  
  
Carl seemed to settle for just being overwhelmed. "ohhhh."  
  
Willow sighed, settling back in her seat. It was actually the sort of thing that she should get used to. Erik had a reputation, and people would react to it. She was just glad that her friends were getting over their panic about it.  
  
End part 9.  
  
Amy dropped by that afternoon, a few books on herbs in one hand, and a tray of brownies in the other. She smiled at Willow and Vic, her expression changing to surprise at the sight of Carl. "Umm… hi. I'm Amy, and… I don't think I know who you are."  
  
"I'm Carl." It was hard to say who looked a bit more nervous of the pair.  
  
Vic just grinned, reaching over to pull the tray of brownies from Amy's hand. "She makes great brownies. Carl is Willow's latest stray. He's shorter and shyer than me."  
  
"Hey! I'm… well, yeah, I guess I am shorter than you." Carl looked a bit indignant. "Those do look pretty good. Can I have one?"  
  
Amy smiled, tugging the tray back from Vic. "Sure, I baked a large tray. For some reason, brownies tend to vanish when he's around."  
  
Willow took the books, looking at them with interest while still trying to watch the interaction between Amy and Carl. As nervous as he was, this could be awkward. "Are there walnuts in these?"  
  
Carl glanced again at Amy before nervously grabbing a brownie, nearly dropping it. Taking a bite, he made a slightly muffled sound of contentment. 'mmmm….' After a few moments, he nodded, glancing at Willow. "Walnuts and chocolate chips. They're good."  
  
"Wonderful, I love those." Willow smiled, putting the books down in favor of having a brownie.  
  
Carl sat back, watching Amy as he slowly chewed on one of the brownies. "So… umm… what's with the books? Are you studying botany or something?"  
  
"Something." Amy smiled just a little. "I'm actually studying Wicca, and the whole magical traditions."  
  
Vic looked at her, a few crumbs clinging to the front of his shirt. "Does it work?"  
  
Amy looked at him, and passed him a napkin. "Well, my mother could make it work. She could do all sorts of freaky things with it. As for me… I can't do nearly as much. So far, I've been learning a lot of meditation, and about the importance of self-discipline, and herbs. It's been good for my cooking."  
  
"So, you don't fly around on a broomstick, casting spells on people with a magic wand." Carl had a little smile as he asked the question.  
  
Amy just giggled, her eyes twinkling. "Someone's been reading too much Harry Potter. No, I don't have a magic wand, I don't fly on a broom, and I haven't been able to do any big impressive spells. But that glamour's working finally."  
  
"Glamour? Like elegance and movie stars?" Carl blinked.  
  
Willow reached forward, calling the pan closer so that she could snag another brownie. "No, like illusions. It's working? You figured it out?"  
  
"Yeah. Watch." Amy closed her eyes, and ran her hands over her body, starting at the top of her head, and passing downwards. In the wake, the image seen was that of Janis Joplin, instead of Amy Madison.  
  
"Wow. Can you sing like her too?" Carl looked impressed.  
  
Vic leaned closer for a moment, and made a small noise, almost like a purr or growl. "Magic has a scent. Huh. You still smell like you, not like her."  
  
Amy blinked, and shook her head. "I can look like her, and if I try real hard, I can make my voice sound different, but I can't really sing very well. And I can't hold a voice changing well enough to sing at the same time, so I can't cheat and make you think I can sing either." With that, she shrugged, and the spell faded, leaving her looking like herself again.  
  
"Wow. Are you sure that's not… well, just a mutant ability to make illusions?" Carl looked at her, his half eaten brownie in his hand.  
  
"Pretty sure. There's a lot of stuff out there besides mutants." Amy glanced at the books, and then back up at Willow.   
  
"You mean like vampires." Carl shuddered, then appeared to remember the brownie, nibbling at it again. "Those are just… freaky. And mean."  
  
Vic chuckled, a low almost growling sound. "They aren't that tough."  
  
Willow smiled, passing bottles of juice to everybody. "Vic, you're a lot bigger and meaner in a fight than most people are. I don't want to run into anything more dangerous than you."  
  
He just chuckled again, leaning back and basking in the sunshine.  
  
"You have an overgrown cat for a bodyguard." Amy stated, glancing from Willow to Vic. "I mean, look at him, it's almost like the lion on the Discovery channel."  
  
"And he's really good at it, too." Willow agreed, sighing as she realized that in addition to his juice, Vic appeared to have gained the very last brownie.  
  
Willow just hoped that everything would continue to go smoothly at this house. Monday, her parents would be coming back home. Monday, she planned to tell them that she was a mutant. And if things went well, she wouldn't be trying to find a new place to stay on Tuesday.  
  
End part 10.  
  
Sunday was… well, it went. Vic went out with Cordelia, for a nice walk, and was gone for hours. Willow wasn't certain if she wanted to know any details or not. Tracie was released from the hospital, and Xander had spent most of the day with her, fussing and trying to pamper her. Buffy'd had some sort of mother-daughter thing going on. Carl had been flipping through the channels, looking for something interesting to watch, until he'd realized that Willow was heading towards the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" He'd turned off the television, looking at her with the sort of curiosity that is a silent plea for entertainment. "So… you don't church on Sundays?"  
  
"No, I'm Jewish." She'd smiled a little. "I figured I could go try to get a little practice. I'm still pretty new to the whole 'guess what, you've got powers' thing, although it's really only the one, and it's not entirely under as much control as I'd like. My plan was to go to the junk yard and try to work on control with stuff that nobody will care if it gets broken, scratched or magnetized."  
  
"Are you sure you don't have the mutant ability to talk without needing to breathe?" Carl looked amused, and stood up, trying yet again to get this one lock of hair to stop falling over his eyebrow, which seemed to annoy him. "Not sure why I don't just chop it off…. Stupid hair."  
  
"Wouldn't a crew cut look sort of silly with the fur?" Willow asked, tilting her head slightly as she grabbed the jacket, the bag of metal bits a comforting presence in one pocket.  
  
"Well… maybe a little. But hey, I'm already green, it's not like I'm going to look normal anyhow." Carl looked like he was halfway between sulking and brooding.  
  
"Maybe not normal, but that's no reason to do something that you know will look bad." Willow then stopped, her eyes going wide as she realized what had come out of her mouth. "I've definitely been spending a lot of time with Cordelia…"  
  
Carl just laughed as he followed her from the house. "Right… Do you even have any normal friends? I mean, there's the witch girl, there's Vic, there's this fashion expert Cordelia, someone named Bunny…."  
  
"Buffy. My mom keeps getting the name wrong, and Vic just doesn't like her that much, but her name's Buffy." Willow shook her head, trying not to smile.  
  
"Is that an improvement?" Carl's eyes were full of amusement now as they walked along the street. "I mean, is Buffy really better than Bunny?"  
  
"Well…" Willow considered the question for a moment. "Hey, I'm named after a tree, so I don't really have that much room for poking fun at someone else's name."  
  
At the junkyard, Carl looked at the fence, his eyes lingering on the barbed wire at the top. "umm… this fence. How do you plan to get to the other side of it?"  
  
Willow snickered, already looking at the assortment of stuff on the other side. Finally, she spotted a couple car doors, rather dented, and one of them the most hideous lime green. "Simple. See those car doors?"  
  
"Yeah, and they're on the other side of the fence." Carl nodded slowly, his eyes on her.  
  
Willow reached out with that part of her mind that controlled the magnetics, surrounding them with her will, and envisioning them rising up, gliding over the fence and hovering near them. They sailed through the air, similar to the bottles of juice, but larger. Smiling, she gestured at one of them. "Step on."  
  
"Wow… and my God, that's an ugly color for a car." Carl blinked a bit, before stepping onto the gray door, leaving the ugly lime green one for Willow.  
  
Willow smiled as the car doors rose into the air. It was an amazing feeling, and she spread her arms wide to feel the slight breeze, smelling the ocean. She almost wished that she dared try something like this as a long distance transportation instead of just up and over the fence. It would certainly be cheaper than buying a car, although maybe something a bit less sloppy looking than a slightly crunched car door?  
  
"Handy. Any suggestions on what I should stay away from?" Carl was looking around, his fur all fluffed up and soft looking. Somehow, it reminded Willow of a cat trapped in a room with a big dog.  
  
"umm…. There's probably sharp bits of metal and broken glass everywhere. And I can't do anything about the glass." Willow shrugged. "Oddly enough, they don't make junk yards with the comfort of visitors in mind."  
  
Carl just laughed as he meandered off to the left. Willow shrugged, letting him go. Surely he should be able to watch where he was walking by now. And if she kept her extra sense out, keeping track of where he was and staying alert for any other presences as well… Yeah, that should work. Her plan for today was actually simpler in some ways. She had a Walkman with a cassette tape, and her plan was to try to play the tape and work her powers, without disrupting the Walkman or erasing the tape. Just in case, it was something that she wouldn't bee too upset if it was lost, just a copy of a tape that she'd bought years ago. The sound wasn't the best anyhow.  
  
Willow started with a chunk of twisted metal, figuring that if she started with a single moving object and not scrambling the music, then she could work her way up in numbers. They didn't have to be big or heavy bits either. After all, today was all about control.  
  
She was having five different chunks of metal, all of them between the size of her palm and the size of her head, swooping around in different paths when she was starting to feel a bit of difficulty. There would also occasionally be staticy bits with the music. She wasn't certain if the static was the tape going bad, her magnetics messing with it, or something else entirely. Regardless, she chose to take it as a sign, and didn't add any more objects.  
  
This was something that she wanted to figure out. It would be much too expensive to have to replace parts of her computer just because her power had flickered. Let alone if she tried something somewhere that had a lot of electronics, like the mall, or the hospital. Willow shuddered as her mind painted that particularly unappealing image. A burst of static reminded her to keep her focus.  
  
The corner of her awareness that was keeping track of Carl noticed that he seemed to be jumping around, actually in some pretty impressive movements. Curious, she moved towards him, wanting to make certain that all was well. Part of her was certain that there would have been more noise if he'd been attacked, and wouldn't any attackers have a presence to them anyhow? But still, over the Hellmouth, a little caution was always good.  
  
Carl was bounding around, even throwing in a few flips. It was amazing to see, sort of like an acrobat and a stuntman all wrapped up in one. Willow wasn't certain how he could manage something like that. "Maybe he's got some sort of jumping mutation, or super mutant agility? Mutant leg muscles and tendons?"  
  
He had this amazed and slightly triumphant smile as he landed in front of her, hair falling around his face. "That was pretty nifty. And… wow."  
  
"Yeah. Nifty. Maybe the fence won't be that much of a problem for you after all." Willow smiled, glad to see him looking so happy.  
  
Carl glanced at the fence, shivering slightly. "Actually, considering the barbs on the fence, I'd rather not risk it yet. What if I missed, or didn't get high enough?"  
  
"Ouch." Willow nodded, calling the car doors back over. "I see your point, or the fence points, anyhow. Shall we then?"  
  
"Yeah." He smiled, stepping back onto the car door. "I may look like some over-grown green teddy bear, but I can jump."  
  
Willow just smiled as she floated them back over the fence, returning the car doors to the junk yard side after they were done. "Now that we've spent the afternoon playing in the junkyard, time to go back home."  
  
"Nervous?" He smiled, looking at her with curiosity.  
  
"My parents get home tomorrow. They're going to be wondering why I've got a boy in the house – meaning you, and I was figuring that I should tell them that I'm a mutant. I'm sort of…" Her words trailed off as she tried to find the right way to express her fears.  
  
"Sort of hoping that the abstract mutants are okay still holds when the mutant is their daughter?" Carl's voice had a bit of bitterness and a bit of sympathy.  
  
"Pretty much." She sighed as they started back home. On the bright side, she hadn't killed the Walkman. Tired of the same tape, she switched it to radio, figuring that at least it would be different music than the same tape over and over and over again for hours.  
  
End part 11.  
  
The radio was uninteresting, with a couple songs and the scores of the football games being announced as they walked back to Willow's house. They walked in relative quiet, neither quite certain what to say. Vic met up with them when they were almost back, with a few leaves in his hair and some dark reddish splatters over his body, and his hand twitching, the claws flexing in and out. It looked as if something had not gone quite as planned with the outing.  
  
"You and Cordy were interrupted?" Willow asked, part of her hoping that he hadn't decided that Cordy was all wrong for him and very annoying and just killed her. It did sort of look like blood splatters, after all, and there were all sorts of ways to make a body vanish in the woods….  
  
"Some stupid demon. It's dead now. She's upset." He practically growled the words out.  
  
Willow sighed, one hand reaching out to brush over his arm. "Cordy will calm down. If something was out attacking people in the woods, it's probably a good thing that you killed it. And we can go patrolling tonight, so you can vent on all the unlucky minions."  
  
"Should I… no. There's just something about him… you're almost making me feel sorry for the vampires, which is wrong on too many levels to count." Carl looked at Vic, tugging again at that lock of hair.  
  
Vic just bared his teeth at Carl, something almost like a snarl.  
  
Carl's response was a small noise, almost a whimper, and he moved so that Willow was between him and Vic. "Keep me safe?"  
  
"Honestly…" Willow sighed, somehow feeling more amused. It was almost reminiscent of Xander and Jesse teasing each other, except with more hair and growling and sharp teeth. "If he was actually trying to hurt you, you'd be bleeding now. He's just cranky."  
  
"What's got you unhappy?" Vic's question held slightly less growl.  
  
"My parents are home tomorrow, and I figured that I should tell them that I'm… well, that I should tell them about being a mutant. Pretty much everybody else knows, and they'd know if they ever actually stayed in town, so it's probably well past time to tell them. And I really hope that it goes alright and they don't freak out." The words just spilled out.  
  
"Even breaths." Vic's rumble held a hint of laughter. "Supposed to help."  
  
Willow smiled, feeling comforted, if not exactly relaxed at the advice. Things would be alright. She had her friends, and Vic, and she would be able to manage. Even if her parents did freak out, they were rarely home for long at a time, so she would be able to just… get through it.  
  
Willow spent the rest of the evening working on the next week's homework for her math class. Numbers didn't twist and change when you were nervous, and it would let her have more time for chemistry later in the week. It also helped distract her from being quite so nervous. Carl spent the time reading through Romeo and Juliet, having mentioned that his school had been intending to do the play, but he'd sort of… had to run away before they'd got to it.  
  
Her parents could be dealt with, however that went. She had her friends, and Vic and Carl. Things would work out, because they had to. Willow tried not to allow herself to think of any other possibility. Buffy and Xander had come around, and her parents had been more accepting of the general idea beforehand.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
And in a plastic cell in a prison, an old man sat at a plastic table, reading a copy of The Hobbit. Since it had become obvious that he was intended to stay for a while, his jailors had decided that it could do no harm to allow him some books. Paperbacks were not solid enough to use as a weapon, and they weren't scientific or political, which would prevent any dangerous current developments to fall into his hands. Literary classics, volumes of poetry, mystery novels… he was slowly accumulating a shelf full of them. Beside him was a sheet of paper, where he'd started writing his next letter to his charming cousin.  
  
There was a slight change in the air, nothing that he could put into words. Perhaps a change in the air pressure, or a subtle shift in the temperature? He looked up, trying to figure out what had changed as the drug that had been added to the air took effect. He became lightheaded, swaying at the desk for a moment before he toppled forwards, half conscious on the pages of his book.  
  
Dimly, he heard a faint whirring noise, and felt the shaking of his cell that meant the bridging tunnel that connected his cell to the rest of the prison was being sent out. Someone wanted to pay him a visit.  
  
End part 12.  
  
Monday morning, it was decided that they might as well all go to the school. Willow had to, Vic normally went where Willow went, and Carl… Carl figured that at the very least, he could not be lurking in Willow's house, worrying about the chance that her parents would get home early and panic because of some strange guy with green fur sitting in their living room.   
  
"Maybe you can stay in the library, with Giles." Willow was trying to figure out some way to keep Carl from being horribly bored.  
  
"Does he know about me?" Carl sounded a bit nervous.  
  
"umm… sort of, but not much. He knew that I was going to try to find you after the picnic." Willow blushed a little.  
  
"And how will he feel about having a green furry mon… um… mutant sitting in his library?" Carl looked over, sort of slouching as they made their way towards the school.  
  
"He's not that easy to upset." Willow smiled. "And you seem to enjoy reading, so you should get along with him just fine."  
  
"Yeah…." Carl just sort of nodded as he followed Willow into the school. "Is that door supposed to be unlocked? Are we even supposed to be here?"  
  
Snickering, Willow led them to the library. "Of course we're supposed to be at school. It's the place of learning." She paused as they entered the library. "Giles? Good morning, Giles."  
  
He emerged from his office, adjusting his glasses, a cup of tea in the other hand as he looked at them. "Ah, good morning, Willow, Vic. Who is your… well, I assume this young man was the one being pursued during Xander's picnic?"  
  
"I'm Carl." Hesitantly, he held one hand out towards Giles.  
  
"Good to meet you. Shall I assume that you will be staying in the library during the day?" Giles had a faint smile.  
  
"Yeah, I'm… I don't exactly blend in with people anymore. Not since I'm all furry." Carl shrugged, looking a bit self-conscious. "So… anything in particular that I should avoid?"  
  
"There's tea if you want it, and the back rows of shelves are… probably not to your tastes. As for the rest, there are few students who actually come to the library." Giles looked thoughtful.  
  
"Back shelves are all about demons and vampires." Vic muttered.  
  
"Ehhh…. I think I'll pass on those. I'm more interested in biology, maybe chemistry. If you've got any scientific magazines, one of my relatives on my dad's side is a pretty good chemist and researcher… Dr Henry McCoy." Carl sort of shivered, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of books on demons.  
  
"Of course. Scientific journals… well, not to many of those for an American public high school. But there are some published books, over there." Giles had a small smile, and he began meandering towards the books, looking delighted by the fact that someone was interested in more than the demonology section.  
  
"He'll be fine. Chemistry…. Ugh." Vic shook his head.  
  
Willow just shook her head, faintly amused by the way Vic seemed so determined to avoid the scientific. Clearly, there was something in his past that made him so determined about it, something that he wouldn't or maybe couldn't talk about. But now was the time for school.  
  
She caught a few glimpses of Xander, looking like he hadn't slept well and was worried about something. He was probably still worried about Tracie, who had been released Sunday evening. Xander had stayed with her almost the whole day, and it looked as if he'd rather still be with her than at school, although Xander really didn't care much for being at school most of the time.  
  
She ended up sitting with Cordelia at lunch. Her new friend looked dismayed about something, and Willow wondered if it had anything to do with the interrupted walk on Sunday, or if it was something else entirely.  
  
"Willow? Do you… am I crazy to try for something with Vic? I mean, the man has muscles… God does he have muscles. And he's got a nice voice, and… but he's got a few issues. And…" Cordelia shook her head, glancing at Willow.  
  
For a moment, Willow felt like beating her head with her lunch tray. Of all the roles that she'd imagined, 'relationship consultant' hadn't been one she'd wanted, especially not for Cordy and Vic. "Yes, Vic has issues. So do you, Queen C. Can the two of you work… I've been thinking a little about it for a while. I think you could work something out, or the two of you could end up being a really big disaster. I have no idea which."  
  
"You aren't very good at the whole encouragement thing, are you?" Cordelia sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "We have entirely different ways of reacting to things. He's all… violent and protective, and let me kill it, and I'm like run away."  
  
"So, let him protect you." Willow shrugged. "I don't know what you want in life, but there are far worse things than a guy wanting to kill the monsters attacking you. Especially when it's something he can do."  
  
For a moment, Cordelia looked as if she was going to protest. "Actually, you have a good point."  
  
"Really? I mean, yeah, it's a good point." Willow smiled, reminded of the possibility of her parents freaking out. "I just hope I have some tonight."  
  
"Why? I mean, what's tonight?" Cordelia looked at her, one perfectly arched eyebrow raised.  
  
"My parents are going to be home. I figured that it's… you know, time to tell them that I'm a mutant." Willow looked at her tray, stabbing at the mixed fruit with her fork.  
  
"Ahhhh. That." Cordelia nodded, looking thoughtful. "Well, I suppose… well, actually, I guess the only thing I can say is to try to stay calm. And good luck. Call me later and let me know how that turns out, okay?"  
  
"Thanks, I guess." Willow smiled, hoping that it would be that simple.  
  
End part 13.  
  
The trip back home was… tense. Other people had spotted Carl and Vic walking with Willow, and there had been an area of quiet, accented by quite a few whispers towards the edges. People were staring, and Buffy just looked shocked before giving Carl a once over and winking.  
  
"Oh dear… now Buffy's going to be…" Willow could feel herself blushing, fairly certain that Buffy would soon be grilling her about 'the green hottie' and asking if there were 'any smoochies to dish about'. "Well, I suppose it could be worse."  
  
For a while, they walked in quiet. Willow was trying to figure out how to deal with the inevitable questions from Buffy, and worrying about her parents' reactions. Vic was just scowling in silence. Carl kept glancing around uneasily.  
  
"Red… they're home." Vic's words made Willow go tense.  
  
"My parents. Right… here goes." She tried to take a few deep breaths, and opened the door. "Hey Mom, Dad. How was your trip?"  
  
"Willow, it's good to…" Her mother's words trailed off as she stared at Vic and Carl. "Who are th… who are your friends?"  
  
Trying to remain calm, Willow smiled. "This is Carl. He… he was hurt, and I've been trying to help him. And this is Vic."  
  
"ummm." Her mother looked up at Vic's face, her eyes growing wider. "goodness."  
  
Her father walked over, placing one hand on Sheila's back, and looked at them thoughtfully. "Perhaps we should go sit down?"  
  
Very shortly, everyone was seated, with Vic beside Willow, and Carl perched nervously on a chair watching the older Rosenbergs. Sheila and Ira were looking at them, clearly trying to figure out how to ask their questions.  
  
The first question that came out was from her mother. "I seem to recall telling you that you weren't supposed to have boys in your room."  
  
Her father's question was slightly different. "Why are they both here?"  
  
Willow tried to smile, part of her certain the expression would look all wrong. "umm… neither of them have been staying in my room. And Cousin Erik sent Vic to make certain that I was safe. Carl… sort of a complicated story there, but the short version is that he was in trouble and I decided to help him."  
  
"Cousin Erik… you mean Magneto." Her father sighed, his head sort of falling to rest on his hand. "You've been in contact with him…. This is a lot more dangerous than your decision to write to the special effects team of that television show you liked so much when you were younger."  
  
Willow blushed, hearing Vic snickering beside her. Why had he brought that up… "Yeah. Me and Opa both have been writing to him. And… he was worried after some of the things that happened last spring. So he sort of… ummm…"  
  
"Sent you a bodyguard?" Her father finished, a curious tone in his voice.  
  
"He wants Willow to be safe." Vic's deep rumble seemed to surprise both of Willow's parents.  
  
"How is having a bodyguard going to protect you from the rampant vandalism and those gangs on drugs?" Her mother's question was low, with a slight quaver. Did her mother actually believe the 'gangs on PCP' excuse, or was she just being careful?  
  
Carl gestured towards Vic. "Would you attack someone with a guy who looked like that? He's big and scary."  
  
Her mother smiled just a little at that. "Well… there is that. But… was there any other reason why he felt you needed a bodyguard?"  
  
"Mom, I did not start an organized crime ring from my computer. That was just a joke that Xander made." Willow smiled a little before looking at her hands, which were now clasped so firmly that her knuckles were white. "But… well, I am a mutant. It's sort of… not the popular thing."  
  
"A mutant? Oh my… are you sure?" Her mother looked a bit pale, her eyes wide and nervous.  
  
"Willow, sweetie, your mother and I are not going to throw you out for being a mutant. But if you ever… hmm, if you ever decide to rip up a train station of attack a United Nations delegation, there will be a few objections."  
  
Her father's voice caught her attention. Willow looked up, feeling hopeful and nervous. Ira Rosenberg was smiling just a little. "You aren't… you're okay with this?"  
  
"Honey, I'm worried. Mutants… there are so many problems… are you going to be safe going places? What if… do you have any of those strange abilities that might become dangerous?" Her mother was shaking, looking nervous and trembling. "I don't want anything to happen to you."   
  
"I've got magnetics." Willow smiled, feeling as if a large knot inside was had untied itself. She reached out, and the little pile of metal bottle caps on the coffee table lifted into the air, turning in a circle.  
  
"Well, that's… an interesting trick." Her father's comment was almost amused. "Has it caused any problems for you yet?"  
  
Her mother frowned, as if trying to remember something. "That cell phone… back in San Diego. The businessman and his cell phone, when we all went shopping. That was you."  
  
"Not on purpose!" Willow protested, looking at her mother's face. "I didn't even know it was me at the time. I wasn't sure until… later. And I'm getting better."  
  
"Define 'getting better', young lady." Her mother had a small smile, as if she was adjusting to the idea. "This isn't a disease that you treat, it's… well, as much a part of you as your freckles."  
  
"What about the computer? I'm quite certain magnets and computers don't mix well." Her father's thoughtful question might or might not have been connected to her mother's comment.  
  
"I mean, I'm learning control. So that I won't fry the computer or someone's cell phone. I've been practicing making things move where I want them to, and precisely how I want, and to cut down any weird power surges." Willow was feeling much calmer now. This was going better than she'd expected, maybe she should have said something to them earlier?  
  
"Control is definitely good." Her mother nodded. Then, she looked back at Carl. "But… you shouldn't just invite strange people into your home, they could be dangerous. Especially here."  
  
Carl straightened his shoulders, and looked at her mother. "Willow found me in the daytime, she already knew that I wasn't a vampire."  
  
"Nobody said anything about vampires…" Her mother's feeble denial lacked any strength or conviction.  
  
"You know." Vic's comment wasn't a question. "I can help keep her safe from them."  
  
"When I was in high school, one of my friends… she said that she was something called a Slayer. I thought that she was delusional at first." Her mother looked sad. "She managed to convince me otherwise, although the fact that a vampire attacked us when we were trying to watch a movie… I was petrified. She was killed a few months later."  
  
"Now that's pretty weird. That you knew a Slayer too…" Willow shook her head, wondering just how much her mother had learned from the Slayer that she'd known.  
  
"Why do you think we took you with us so often when you were younger? Why we always told you not to invite people over?" Her mother frowned slightly. "Have you told Xander about being a mutant? Or that Bunny girl?"  
  
Her mom seemed to have no idea why that sent both Vic and Carl into laughter.  
  
"Yes, mom. They… took a while to get used to it, but they're okay with the fact." Willow didn't think that her mom and dad needed to hear about the way most of the school was sort of tip-toe nervous about her. The way her being a mutant had somehow made her scary to them.  
  
"Good. You need a supportive peer group." Her mother looked as if her mind was trying to skitter of into the land of psychology.  
  
"Cousins Chris and Lily know about it too. They've been very supportive. And your great uncle Hans Dane… he's been talking with me some about the genetic aspects of mutation, so that's sort of helping me as well. I've got support, and Erik's been good about it too." Willow wanted to reassure her mom, preferably before there were any plots for 'stabilizing influences'.  
  
"I suppose that's good." Sheila nodded, looking relieved. "But Willow… there are a few proposals being debated… Even though the Registration Act was voted down, there are some other things… They worry me."  
  
"I know, mom. I've been watching CNN, and some of the debates." Willow shrugged. "I may not be able to stop anything, but maybe… some advance warning?"  
  
"I hope so. I do know there were a few nasty sounding rumors floating about that mentioned some plan to use mutants in the military, sort of like shock troops, or maybe Special Forces." Her father looked very serious. "Of course, nobody had any sources, or admitted to believing them, but… for rumors with no source, they sure did get around."  
  
Willow could only blink, sitting there and letting the possibilities tumble in her mind. Special Forces… like rescue missions, or like… spies and assassins and the causes of not-so-natural disasters? "Yeah, that could be a scary thing. Especially… well, how did they plan to recruit these mutants?"  
  
"That's a very good question. Nobody had an answer." Her father looked rather worried. "Maybe it's a good thing that you just… juggle bottle tops without hands. Something relatively harmless."  
  
Vic made a small noise, and Carl looked entirely stunned. Willow just shook her head, wondering where her parents had got the 'relatively harmless' idea. But that rumor, the idea of mutants being used for military purposes… it was scary. Especially since the military might not be the only ones to have the idea. And she'd read far to many books with conspiracies and rogue people in power with a god-complex. "Yeah, too much attention could be bad."  
  
End part 14.  
  
End Wake Up and Smell the Trouble. 


	14. FT14: Changing the Odds 1 to 7

Author: Lucinda

Fourteenth in the Family Tree series.

Rated Y-14/T-for-teen; content similar to the BtVS series, the X-Men movies, and the Marvel comics.

Disclaimer: Willow, Cordelia, and all other people from the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer are the creations of Joss Whedon & his writing staff. Vic, Mystique, and all other people recognizable from the X-Men movie or comics belong to Marvel Comics and/or Marvel Entertainment. Alazcia belongs to Joe. I do have some original characters that belong to me.

Distribution: if you have permission for the earlier Family Tree stories, yes.

Notes: s2 BtVS (altered), post X-men movie #1

The bells over the door rattled and chimed, alerting Tracie to the fact that someone was entering her house. She didn't know who, and she hadn't been expecting any company. Carefully, she grabbed a tall glass of room temperature holy water in her weak arm, her shoulder still healing from being shot. In her other, she had a pistol. She hoped that she wouldn't need to use it, her aim wasn't the best even in ideal circumstances. Hopefully, the apparent threat would be enough - hopefully, she wouldn't need any sort of threat.

"You won't need that, Tracie." Her aunt Raven's voice was calm, perhaps with a hint of pleasure. She had a new look, with shoulder length dark hair and a blandly formal navy skirt suit.

"I wasn't expecting anybody. Certainly not you and your friend." Tracie wondered just what sort of relationship her aunt had with the woman behind her. She was a bit shorter than her aunt, with dark hair and plain clothing, a worn pair of jeans, solid boots, and gray shirt with long sleeves. She looked unremarkable, even including the worn duffel slung over her shoulder.

"This is Alazcia, Alazcia, meet my niece Tracie." Raven sauntered inside, her hand gesturing as she tossed out names.

"And why are you here?" Tracie asked, certain that the answer wouldn't be that her aunt had missed her. Raven didn't do things just out of sentiment, and if she'd just dropped in for a family visit, she wouldn't have brought some stranger along.

Raven closed the door, locking it behind her. "I need a tiny favor."

"A favor?" Tracie had a bad feeling about this. Her aunt had some great qualities, but she found more trouble than anybody should even be able to think of in one lifetime. "I'm almost afraid to ask."

"Alazcia needs a place to stay for a while." Raven shrugged, her features blurring from her disguise to her real features, the red hair and blue skin decidedly more memorable than the dark hair and pale complexion that she'd had when she came in.

"Why here?" Tracie sighed, sitting down and dropping the gun into her lap. "Why with me?"

"Because none of the people who are looking for me will think to look in this place for a long time." Alazcia's voice was low, and carried an accent that Tracie couldn't quite identify. In the light, she could see that there were faint speckles along the woman's temples, brushing down to her cheekbones and over the sides of her neck.

"Why are they looking for you?" Tracie hoped that her aunt wasn't about to involve her in one of her frightful 'adventures'. It also occurred to her to wonder how she would explain this to Xander, especially since the real truth wouldn't do. "Are you legally in this country?"

"They look for me because they are scientists without..." Alazcia paused, clearly searching for the right word to use. "Hesitations. Their intentions are unfriendly, painful, and probably illegal, and I was chosen simply because I have some small differences."

"Oh crap." Tracie muttered, now certain that things were ugly and might get uglier. "I'm going to need to explain you being here somehow."

"Why?" Raven's voice was sharp, suspicious. "If she remains in the house and doesn't go out too much..."

"I have a boyfriend, aunt Raven. He has been over to visit occasionally." Tracie sighed, rubbing at her temples. She had the feeling that this was going to be a long night.

"A boyfriend?" Raven sounded stunned, and then her eyes narrowed. "Is he... human?"

"Yes. Xander's human, and he's nice." Tracie smiled, hoping that her aunt would understand. "He didn't even freak out about the blue."

For a moment, it looked like her aunt was going to blow a blood vessel right there. When she finally spoke, each word was clipped out sharply. "How does he know?"

"He was with me when I got shot." Tracie spoke slowly, certain that her aunt would flip about the whole mess. "I lost my concentration and reverted, and he saw me. The doctor did, a couple nurses, and his friend and her bodyguard. There's nothing that can be done about it now."

"What do you mean, you were shot?" It sounded as if her aunt was planning bloody murder to the person responsible.

"It was a stray bullet." Tracie tried to shrug it off, to deflect her aunt. "I'm getting better."

"Alazcia will have to teach you self defense. I want you to be able to drop a gunman before he can fire." Her aunt's words were an order.

Tracie and Alazcia both sat there as Raven stalked over the to the door, pausing a moment to unlock it before storming off into the night. She was muttering under her breath in an assortment of languages, and there wasn't a single polite word among them.

Finally, Tracie broke the silence. "So, I guess this means it's a good thing that I have a spare bedroom, right?"

end part 1.

Willow sighed as she poured herself a glass of orange juice. She could hear Carl snoring faintly, and Vic was moving downstairs. Last night had been full of troubled dreams, worries borne from the rumors that her parents had brought back from their last trip. For a few minutes, she sat there, sipping at her juice and trying to think clearly about the rumors.

"Hey, you ready for a morning run?" She asked, certain that Vic would hear her, even if she was in the kitchen and he was down in the basement. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to have hearing that good - wouldn't the whole world be very noisy?

The knob rattled as the basement door swung open. Vic rumbled, "Do we stop at the waffle house afterwards?"

"I guess we can." Willow drank the last of her juice, and put the glass in the sink. "There's enough time that we can have a run and swing back past here before school. I couldn't sleep very well last night."

"Those rumors." He growled, not a question but an angry statement.

"Yeah." Willow started putting a braid in her hair, and sighed. "They worry me, especially since they're so widespread. If they started out of nowhere, wouldn't they have fizzled? Or is it just that it's an interesting story?"

"Not sure if those are better or worse than thinking about Cordelia." He muttered.

"Well, you can do something about the Cordelia situation, as soon as you figure out what it actually is." Willow offered, still a bit uncertain how she felt about Vic becoming involved with Cordelia. "But what can we do about those rumors?"

Willow walked out of the house, trying not to feel nervous when she heard the lock click behind her. She could unlock it again, she'd proved that in San Diego. Everyone else was asleep, they were safe with the door locked.

Their run started ordinarily enough, the pre-dawn air cool and humid. Willow was trying to work on her control, and instead of carrying her wire wrapped spear, she was using her abilities to pull it through the air along beside her. It didn't poke her in the sides as much that way, unless she forgot to tell it to turn when she did, which always made Vic snicker a little bit and then pretend that he hadn't laughed at all.

He growled as they passed the ice cream shop, looking around with wary, unhappy eyes.

"Vic?" What's wrong?" Willow stopped, her hand going to the spear in concern. Were they about to be attacked, or was it something that had happened earlier?

"Mystique was here." He sniffed again, a low growl filling the air. "She wasn't alone."

Hesitantly, Willow asked, "Who was with her?"

"I..." He paused, frowning. "I don't know. I know that I've smelled her before, but I don't remember where."

"You know that you've smelled her before, but not where or when." Willow murmured, puzzling over what he'd said. "So, she's either from way back in your past or from close to the time that you lost the memories?"

"When they were taken. I knew her there. They hurt us all..." He didn't even seem to be thinking about the words.

"Maybe you can figure out where they went while I'm in school then?" Willow suggested. "I'm supposed to train with Giles and maybe Buffy this afternoon, that'll give you some time to search."

Vic nodded, still looking a bit distracted. "Right. Weren't we going to have waffles? And there's bacon and sausage and ham..."

"None of which are kosher." Willow grinned.

"More for me then." He shrugged, and they started moving towards the waffle house for breakfast.

end part 2.

Willow sat with Buffy at lunch, near one of the windows. Part of her wished that she could just go out, relax in the fresh air, but another part of her wanted to get as much from school as she could. College would be harder, especially if the rumors about 'Willow the mutant' made it harder to get admitted, if not impossible.

Buffy was just picking at her salad. Not the sort of picking that says 'I have no desire to eat this', but the sort that hinted at worries and unhappiness.

"Buffy?" Willow asked, waving her hand in front of her friends face. "Is it an evil salad?"

"No, it's not the salad, though it is a bit wilted." Buffy smiled weakly. "It's... me and Angel. We're sort of having a few problems."

"Like that dance you did with Xander?" Part of her wanted to be the sympathetic friend, but Willow felt that Buffy had caused a lot of hurt feelings with that dance.

"No." Buffy tried to glare. "That was just... I was..."

Willow raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, it was a dumb thing to do. I just wanted to... I wanted to make him jealous." Buffy floundered, her cheeks turning pink. "I wanted him to try a little harder, to chase me, you know?"

"It upset Tracie, and she and Xander had a few arguments there. It hurt Angel - did you expect him to go all caveman and beat up his rival? Or maybe throw you over his shoulder and carry you away?" Willow asked.

"I'm not going to let myself get carried away like that!" Buffy protested. "I'm..."

Willow sighed, knowing that Buffy meant that she was the Slayer, and couldn't afford to let herself be kidnapped, even in play. "You set him up to feel jealous in a situation where he couldn't do anything about it."

"It sounds harsh when you put it like that." Buffy sighed. "It's just... I keep wondering where I stand with him, and I can't read him like the guys here, or back in LA."

"Buffy, why don't you just talk to him, instead of making all these little tests? He's older, " Willow paused, knowing that the number of years older that Angel could claim was over two centuries, "He's older, but he's still a guy. Guys don't think the same way we do, and Angel probably just feels like he's doing something wrong and has no idea what. Try talking to him. Or just break up and find someone whose signals you can read."

The more Willow thought about it, the worse the idea of Buffy and Angel together actually sounded. Yeah, he was handsome, and he did that mysterious thing really well, but... Buffy's destiny was to kill vampires, and however much nicer he was than the rest, Angel was still a vampire. A vampire and someone destined to kill vampires just didn't sound like it could possibly end well. More like Romeo and Juliet, with everybody dead or weeping over the dead bodies of all their loved ones. Maybe if they were both willing to make some big compromises they could manage something, at least for a while, but neither one really seemed likely to bend that much.

"Everything will be fine, I hope." Buffy sighed, and stood up, tray in hand. "I'm out of here, I have to go have some emergency study for that French test. I think I'm failing. This morning I managed to say 'the cow has touched me from Thursday', and that was just... way wiggy."

"The cow has what?" Willow didn't know if she wanted to laugh or... well, yes, she did want to laugh. She just thought it might be bad to laugh in Buffy's face. "Go, study very hard."

For a few moments, Willow sat there, pondering everything. Xander was coping fairly well with her mutation, with Tracie being blue, and with life still being generally unfair. Mystique, who might be related to Tracie, had been in town with someone that Vic had met or known or something before his memories were gone, and he wanted to find her and figure out what was up. Buffy and Angel were having more problems. Vic and Cordelia... hmm, maybe she could see what Cordelia had to say about their date?

She made her way out of the lunchroom, feeling faintly guilty as she did. Students weren't supposed to wander blindly around the school whenever and wherever they wanted. Straightening her shoulders, she made her way down the hall, ignoring the wisp of smoke that came from the little bathroom near the cafeteria. Sheila and her crowd were smoking again, hopefully just cigarettes. Now there was a bad influence at school.

Devon was trying to talk to Cordelia. The guy was a year older, and in a band, both of which made him sound like 'a good catch' to other girls. What were they talking about?

"Come on, Cordy. It'll be a great party," Devon wheedled. "You'll have a blast."

"You mean, I'll get toasted and you'll have to take me home?" Cordelia snapped. "I don't think so. I've already got plans for the weekend."

"Maybe I should just ask Harmony then," Devon sulked. "I'm sure she'd jump at the chance."

"Fine, take Harmony," Cordelia muttered, pushing a book into her locker. "Not like you'd be the first person."

Devon glared, caught sight of Willow and retreated, muttering something under his breath.

"Should I apologize for interrupting?" Willow asked, not feeling very upset.

"It's just Devon, and he left," Cordelia waved her hand in dismissal. "So, how's life?"

"Mmm. Life is weird. My parents think it's neat but harmless that I can juggle bottle-caps." Willow leaned against the row of lockers, and offered a tiny smile. "So, should I ask about your weekend plans?"

"Are they that dense, or are they trying to be blind?" Cordelia goggled. "Anyhow, I was thinking... the woods had this giant spider thing, which was really gross. I thought maybe Vic and I could go to the beach, or something. Away from giant spiders."

"So, you're serious about him?" Willow asked, unsure if she really wanted to know. "As for my parents, I really don't know. I'm not sure it makes a difference."

"I don't know about me and Vic. He's interesting, and handsome in a rough and scary sort of way, and..." Cordelia sighed, and looked at her hand. "I think I'd like to find out."

"Well, good luck to both of you," Willow smiled. It felt better to know that Cordelia was human enough not to know everything that would happen. "Just... take it easy on the perfume. He's got a really good nose."

end part 3.

Willow made her way towards the library, figuring that she might as well finish her lunch period there. Besides, she wanted to talk to Giles about her training, and if there were any suggestions that he might have for her. Maybe it would be better to get that handled before Buffy showed up for her training anyhow.

"Hey Giles." She called, glancing over the library with her eyes and feeling with her mind to see if she could sense anybody. Every living creature was supposed to have a bio-electrical and magnetic field, which was currently under a lot of research, especially for medical and communications areas. What that meant for her was that she should be able to sense things without her eyes or ears, but by using her mutation. It sounded good in theory, but so far, she pretty much had to see them to feel them. If she could develop that as sort of a personal radar, and if humans felt different than demons... Oh, did vampires have a bio-electrical field?

But there was only one other presence in the library. Moving towards the back, she peeked cautiously around a corner, relieved that it was just Giles. But it was probably good to get the practice, just in case something happened, right? "Giles, I was wondering... umm... Did you have any other suggestions, you know, for that self defense we were talking about?"

"Willow." He rubbed at his eyes, and closed the book that he'd been focused on. He opened a drawer and dropped the book inside it, a sure sign that he wasn't in a sharing mood. "I think you need to work on the defensive strategies. On evading grabs, especially if you can practice evading or slipping holds from someone with greater strength than yours. Most of the dangers... are stronger than you are."

"Okay..." Willow blinked, and noticed the way he seemed to be avoiding looking right at her. "Giles, is something wrong? You'd tell me if there was something really wrong, right? Is there... Is Buffy in danger?"

"I'm not aware of either of you being in more danger than before, but..." He sighed, and motioned her towards the practice area. "I've heard some disturbing rumors involving mutants. Some have the mutants as the danger, while others..."

"Horrendously painful experiments on mutants? Illegal things that start with someone just vanishing from home and might lead to painful death?" Willow shivered, and looked at the floor. "My parents heard some of those at their last conference."

"Those do sound rather like the rumors that I've heard." He pushed a chair further to the side, and changed the angle of the table. "Perhaps we should work on a few of those evasions now?"

She was trying to keep focused, and as he was showing her how to apply her elbow to make someone who had her in a choke-hold from behind let go, Willow thought she felt a flickering presence approaching. "I think... company?"

"Hey Giles!" Buffy called. "So, is there anything in particular that I should watch for tonight? New demons, prophecies, wiggy portents?"

"Shouldn't you be studying your French, cow-toucher?" Willow asked, looking at her friend.

"I didn't mean to say that!" Buffy protested. "And what are you doing here anyhow?"

"Giles was trying to teach me how to keep someone from grabbing me and carrying me off somewhere for a horrible fate." Willow explained.

"It's not your job to fight the forces of evil and nastiness, it's mine. That's why I'm the Slayer, remember?" Buffy was frowning, and glaring at Giles. "You can't let her go off into danger like that. She could get hurt, or worse."

"What makes you think that I'd be safe even if I didn't patrol with you, Buffy?" Willow asked, wondering what had prompted this overprotective moment. Had Buffy even thought about the realities of life? "I'm a mutant, even if it's not really obvious from looking at me, and there are a lot of people who don't like mutants. I'm a female, and there are a lot of nasty people who attack women and girls. I don't have a car, and lots of pedestrians get attacked, even if they aren't with the Slayer at the time."

"But you'll be a lot safer if you don't go patrolling." Buffy tried to look authoritative by placing one hand on her hip, but instead looked more like she was about to burst into a cheer.

"Buffy, Willow does have a good point about dangers threatening even if she's not actively seeking them." Giles spoke softly, perhaps remembering the frog-like slime demon from the summer. "It can only be useful for her to know a few ways to try to break someone's grasp on her."

With a huff of air, Buffy glared right at Willow. "Promise me that you won't go patrolling alone, Willow. Promise."

Willow frowned, wondering just what made Buffy think that she could make a demand like that even while she knew that Sunnydale was very dangerous after dark. "Buffy, I promise not to go out alone seeking demons and vampires to fight. Is that good enough? I can't promise to always be safe, or to never be outside after dark."

"I suppose that it'll have to do." Buffy grumbled, and then turned towards Giles. "So, there's got to be something that I should take care to watch for."

"Try watching for French tests. Studying for it might help too." Willow muttered, now certain that she wouldn't get any more help from Giles about breaking holds. Not with Buffy there. "Just what has you so worried about me anyhow? I'm not helpless anymore."

"I don't want you to get hurt because of my destiny, or because somebody thought that they could hurt me by going after one of my friends. I don't want anyone around me to suffer because I got Chosen by the Powers That Ruin Lives."

"Buffy, it's nice that you don't want anything bad to happen to us, but you can't protect everybody from everything." Willow went to the other tables, and started to flip though her history book. She might as well try to study a bit, considering that it looked unlikely that she'd get anything else done now.

end part 4.

It would have been dramatic to say that her encounter with Buffy marked a downhill turn for the rest of the day, and that nothing went quite right after that. Dramatic, but inaccurate. The rest of the day went much as had become usual, with the students either ignoring or avoiding her, a pop quiz in Chemistry, and the assignment of an essay in English class. There was very little to mark today as any different.

Amy Madison came out of the building at the end of the day, looking as if her day had been a good deal more frustrating, and smiled weakly at Willow. "Mind if I walk to your house with you? I think I could use a place to hang out for a while that's not… well, somewhere else."

"I guess you could," Willow replied, smiling back. "It's not like too many people want to walk around with me."

"What about Xander and Buffy?" Amy asked, frowning as she tried to stuff a notebook into her already bulging backpack.

"Xander is headed for Tracie's place, so he can hang with his girlfriend. As for Buffy… she really needs to practice her French, but she's more likely to practice cheerleading." Willow shook her head, part of her annoyed at the way that they couldn't come right out and talk about Buffy being the Slayer, which Amy knew about after the mess with her mother, and partly still annoyed by the way that Buffy had talked about Willow patrolling earlier.

"Did you get a pop quiz in Chem today, or was it just something special that he cooked up for my class?" Amy asked, hefting the backpack off the ground. "And I think I did terrible on mine."

"But I bet you know everything that a person could possibly do with verbena and sandalwood." Willow countered, trying to cheer Amy up a little. "He gave the quiz in mine as well, and I'm pretty sure that some of the guys at the lunch table were complaining about one today, so yeah, all three classes."

"Yay for those of us who aren't budding chemists." Amy grumbled, and then looked over at Willow. "So, have you just been… has Carl been staying in your house? I can't imagine your parents would be thrilled about that, considering that they don't want you to have boys over, except Xander for some reason."

"My parents don't think of Xander as a boy, he's my friend with the dysfunctional family, and I think they've been trying to observe him for their studies." Willow sighed, and felt for Amy's back pack, hoping that she could use her magnetics to make it a little lighter for her friend. Pointing her thumb at it, she asked, "You don't have anything computer or electronic in there, do you?"

"No, why?" Amy blinked, and then smiled as it lifted upwards, no longer dragging as heavily. "Oh, that's great!"

"My parents know about Carl, and they've said that he can stay for now, but they're not terribly happy about it. But hey, he got kicked out of his home and doesn't have anybody else in the state that he could stay with…" Willow frowned as something green moved in the edge of her vision. Turning, she discovered that it was Carl, headed towards them with a big smile. "Hey there, we were just talking about you."

"Hopefully nothing bad." He faced them, and folded his hands under his chin, batting his eyelashes as he tried to look lost and pitiful. "Save me? Please?"

"Oh, he's doing the puppy-eyes!" Amy made a soft noise in the back of her throat. "Willow, he's doing the puppy eyes… What are you wanting us to save you from?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Rosenberg." He sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. "They're going on about my responsibility to myself to get an education and the degrading quality of the schools today. It's horrible."

Amy giggled, and looped an arm over Carl's elbow. "I'll protect you from the big, scary psychologists."

"You know, I'm not sure they're completely wrong," Willow murmured. "You should make sure you learn things, and there are some problems with schools now. I don't like the standardized testing for everything, or the way classes are held back for the lowest level."

"What about the people at that lowest level?" Amy countered, leaning a little closer to Carl. "Shouldn't they get an education too?"

"Separate the classes. Have one chemistry class for the people who are taking it slowly, and one for the average, and one for those of us who are ready to mix some chemicals and do stuff. Under supervision, of course, so we don't blow something up by accident." Willow shrugged, thinking that the idea should be obvious. "They already do that for English, and for the math, why not for everything else?"

Amy shrugged, "Because our faculty keeps getting killed and eaten, so they can't organize things any better?"

"Good point, for Sunnydale at least," Willow admitted. "It's easy to say that something's not as good as it could be. It's a lot harder to fix it."

"Are there a lot of people having trouble with chemistry?" Carl asked.

"I am. We had a pop quiz today, and I'm sure I did terribly." Amy moaned. "Do you know anything about chemistry, Carl?"

"Yeah, I know some about chemistry," Carl grinned. "I've got an uncle who's a chemist and genius. He's got patents and published papers… the whole works. He used to write letters all the time."

"Really? A chemistry genius?" Amy asked doubtfully. "You can get patents for chemistry stuff?"

"I didn't ask exactly what the patents were for." Carl admitted with a shrug. "If he answered, it would probably be all technical. He's Hank McCoy, or Dr. Henry McCoy if you're being academic. To me, he was always just uncle Hank."

"What happened?" Amy asked. "You said 'was', did something bad happen to him?"

"Not that I know of. I turned green and fuzzy and my dad freaked out and then I didn't live there anymore to know if he still writes or not." Carl shook his head, and muttered, "Dad didn't take it well. Maybe it was just too close to when mom died."

"So, your uncle uses his chemistry genius for the forces of good?" Willow asked, hoping to get Carl's thoughts away from his dad freaking out.

"As opposed to for evil?" Carl snickered. "Yeah, I think so. He was doing work for some fancy company in New York, and apparently he was thinking about teaching part time at some private school called Xavier's. I don't know, he didn't talk about the school too much, but it sounded like it was hard to get into."

Willow stumbled when Carl said Xavier's. If his uncle taught at Xavier's, which was the place where the X-Men were based, then did that mean that his uncle was a mutant as well? She could email Kitty and ask if they had a new chemistry teacher, and if so, then maybe Carl could get back in touch with his uncle, since he seemed to have fond memories of him.

"You okay over there?" Amy asked, peeking around Carl. "You looked like you tripped on something."

"Yeah, yeah, just fine," Willow smiled. "Obviously, I did not get mutated super-reflexes and grace."

There was laughter, and then Amy wistfully commented, "It must be nice to have a relative trying to make things better. Your uncle's what, trying to research for a better tomorrow through chemistry?"

"Something like." Carl nodded, and then continued, "What, your parents aren't looking forward to the future?"

"My family has a gift for magic." Amy explained. "My mom was so not looking forward to the future that she tried to steal my body to relive her youth. Not a good example of what to do with power."

"Yikes." Carl shivered, looking a lot fluffier. "So, I've got my uncle the chemist, you've got your mom, the wicked witch of the west, and Willow… Willow has a pair of head-shrinkers for parents."

"And Magneto as a relative. My great grandfather's grandson, which makes him a cousin." Willow shook her head, and gave Amy's backpack a bit more lift. "The perfect example of how I don't want to end up – in prison. He's got some valid concerns, but… they've got him locked in a big plastic box."

"Okay, that's a good example of what not to do with your life." Amy shivered, and then frowned. "I didn't know that you were related to Magneto. Of course, people would probably be even more afraid than they already are."

"Yeah." Willow agreed sadly. "I don't want everybody to be afraid of me."

"They can be afraid of me." Vic's voice was the only warning they had before he dropped out of a tree, landing beside Willow. "I'm your bodyguard, I'm supposed to be scarier than you."

Amy's hand had gone towards her mouth, and she took a few breaths, just staring at Vic with wide eyes. Finally, she managed a shaky, "Mission accomplished."

Pointing at Carl, Vic sourly growled, "Not to him."

Carl shrugged, and muttered, "Humans scare me, considering the way I got tossed out of home and then ran out of the whole city for turning green."

"People can be scary," Willow agreed.

Nobody argued with that statement.

end part 5.

"So, if I asked you to save me from your parents and their psycho analysis, why are we heading back to your house?" Carl asked, glancing over Amy's head to look at Willow.

"Because instead of avoiding the school and leaving them the idea that you're avoiding an education, you're going to be helping my friend Amy study chemistry. The study group, in their opinion, is one of the best forms of peer interaction, because not only does it help form social bonds, it promotes education. That's a quote, by the way, from one of Mom's books." Willow smiled, feeling a little better now that she had a plan. "This will make them happy all around – we're trying to integrate you despite your obvious mutation and I'm not hiding from the real world behind my computer."

"That sounds so…" Amy wrinkled her nose, and sighed. "Cold."

"They try, but I don't think my parents really get things on the emotional level." Willow offered, and smiled weakly. "I suppose it could be worse, really."

Vic simply made an easy looking leap to the roof, lounging in the sun like a big kitty. Chemistry held little appeal to him, and he made her parents rather nervous. Willow wasn't surprised, and just focused on the door, swinging it open with her abilities.

"Cool. Must make it nicer when you've got your hands full." Amy chuckled, and sighed. "Let's not let your parents get started on my family problems, okay?"

"Good idea. None of us need to hear about the dangers of broken homes and the way they add further instability to the emotionally challenging teen years." Willow murmured as they entered the house.

"Willow, is that you?" Her mother's voice called. "Have you seen Carl, he left earlier…" Her mother came around a corner, several envelopes in her hand. "Oh, there you are. And this is your friend Amy, right?"

"Yes, this is Amy. We're going to have a study session for chemistry class." Willow explained, and then glanced at the envelopes. "There must have been a lot of mail today."

"Quite a lot, actually." She walked over, and handed Willow a stack almost as thick as a paperback novel. "Those are all for you, and several of them look to be college information packets."

"College packets?" Willow blinked, looking at the stack, which did contain several large envelopes with colorful pictures. "But I'm still only a junior. Isn't it a bit soon for colleges to be sending me stuff?"

"Not with your grades, dear." Sheila Rosenberg beamed, and then left the living room, muttering something about cod and amino acid complexes.

"Would they still want you if they knew that you're a mutant?" Carl asked, looking at the stack of envelopes curiously.

"I really wish I knew." She murmured. She started to look through them, not even recognizing most of the colleges. Some of them sounded small, or focused, and some of them were from very far away. There was a soothingly white envelope with gray lettering that proclaimed itself to be from the Frost Academy in Massachusetts, and several from some of the big name colleges. "Wow."

As she shuffled the envelopes, she discovered two letter-sized envelopes, both handwritten. One was from San Diego, which meant it was probably Chris or Lillian, and the other was from Erik. Right beneath that was something marked as coming from Xavier's School for the Gifted, hopefully the information that she had hoped would help her cousins. "Oh, goodie. A pair of letters amidst all the advertising."

"Okay, you can read your mail while Carl tries to explain chemistry and covalent bonds to me." Amy smiled, and they went to sit on the couch.

Willow tried to hide a smile as she glanced at them. She wasn't sure if Carl had noticed, but Amy was showing some definite interest, and Willow really didn't think it was just because of the chemistry class. She placed most of the college looking envelopes in a separate stack, and decided to start with the envelope from Xavier's. Inside was a cover letter perched over two paper clipped stacks of pages. Hmmm, she scanned over the cover letter. Hopes that she was doing well, heard that her cousin was recovering nicely, glad she's stayed in touch with Kitty and Jubilee. Aha, enclosed are copies of some information on both magnetics and on psionics, though he strongly suggested – and the words were underlined – that a psionicly gifted individual should seek personal training from a senior telepath rather than trying to fumble through on their own, but he hoped that this information might prove of some use for her friend. It was signed 'Sincerely, Charles Xavier.'

The letter from Chris was strange. Not the recent adventures of the gang, including the fact that Zack still had his mysterious admirer, a girl called Marie, but the fact that recently, a representative of a 'prestigious east coast academy' had approached them, claiming that both of the twins had been brought to the academy's attention as 'the type of students that we look for' – and something about the woman had felt weird to them. Apparently, Ms. Emma Frost had dressed in this expensive white suit, radiated professional impeccability, and had flown all the way to San Diego to extend the offer. From what Chris had been able to find, the place that Ms. Frost represented was the Frost Academy, and they were highly respected in the business world. But that didn't explain to either of them why they would garner the personal interest of someone who was either running or in the family of the person running the school.

Willow frowned, agreeing with her cousins. Why would a dancer, however talented, and someone who rebuilt motorcycles attract the personal interest of a powerful academy all the way across the country? She chewed at her lip, wondering about that, and then her eye fell back to the stack of college envelopes. Hadn't there been one from a Frost Academy? Was it the same Frost Academy – no, wouldn't it have to be?

Her hand was shaking as she lifted the envelope and tore it open. There were a few pages about the virtues and benefits of the Frost Academy, their impressive reputation and a listing of several of their more successful former students, and a listing of the sort of places that hired Frost graduates. Reading over the papers on the campus and history, Willow learned that it was actually a combination of a private and expensive boarding school and also provided a polished and useful secondary education, which was what most people would call college.

Okay, it was not unreasonable that maybe her grades, attendance and membership in a few after school clubs might have brought her to the attention of such a place. If they did wide scale searches for promising people to take a closer look at. But that didn't explain why they would be inviting her cousins. Chris and Lillian were great, and wonderful, but neither one had been particularly gifted academicly. It just didn't add up quite right.

She looked again at the pages that Charles Xavier had sent to her. She'd make a copy of the psionics stuff to keep, just in case it was ever needed, and it wouldn't hurt to learn a little more about that herself. If she had a car, she'd certainly want to go visit Chris and Lillian in San Diego, but… "I'm being silly." She muttered, resisting the urge to smack her head. "They've got transportation and licenses, one of them can come here and get the papers."

Smiling, Willow curled up in the chair to read the stack on magnetic abilities. She watched as Amy and Carl talked about chemistry, with Carl apparently oblivious to the chemistry between them. Oh yes, a little education could be a very good thing.

End part 6.

Eventually, Amy left the house, reluctantly heading home. Considering the hour, Willow felt just a little worried. "Do you think you'll be home by dark?"

"I don't have a curfew that early," Amy blinked, and glanced at Carl. "My dad's pretty cool about that sort of thing."

"Actually, I was more worried about something trying to eat you than your dad thinking you were out too late." Willow murmured.

"So, what do you suggest?" Amy gave a shiver, "I'd really rather not get eaten by some nasty thing."

Willow grinned. "I bet Vic would make sure you get home safely if you offer him a brownie."

"I heard that," Vic rumbled. After a pause, he added, "And you're right."

"Good for me that I have brownies then. Well, brownies at home." Amy smiled. "The ones with walnuts and chocolate chips."

Carl watched as Amy and Vic left, and there was a wistful look on his face. "She's just…"

"You like her." Willow finished for him. "I can tell. She's not freaking out because you're green, or because you're a year older, or because your dad kicked you out. I don't know if the two of you could make things work, but I don't see why you couldn't at least try."

"I don't think it would be that easy." Carl leaned against the wall, eyes downcast.

"I didn't say anything about easy," Willow retorted. "Lots of things in life are hard. But sometimes that's what makes them better. You go and try to figure out if it's worth taking a chance. I'm going to check my email, if I can keep from killing the computer."

Carl made a noise that could have meant almost anything and walked away. Considering him not only much less threatening than Vic but also much closer to a guest, her parents were letting him stay in the guest room down the hall. Maybe he would be thinking about the possibility of something with Amy. Maybe he would be thinking about his family, about his uncle the chemist. Or possibly he'd lay back and ponder life, the universe and everything.

Willow shook her head, deciding not to worry right now about what Carl would or wouldn't be doing. Instead, she turned on the computer and tried to think about what she wanted to say while it booted up.

In the end, part of her dilemma was solved by an email from Kitty.

To: RedRose99…

From: ProudCat…

Subject: Life and School

Hey Red!

Things have been about normal here, which isn't the same as 'normal' anywhere else. Ororo's got a few new plants in the greenhouse, and due to a few things that were completely not my fault the west wall of the greenhouse needed replaced from the ground up. We've had to do some serious work on the Boathouse (and why is it called that anyhow? It's not used to store boats.)

Oh, we got a new teacher at the school. His name's Dr. McCoy (no connection to Star Trek, though he's apparently watched enough to know) and he's a chemist. I've included a picture – he really fits in here.

Maybe you can manage to come out and visit us sometime. Logan promises to try to play nice with your pal Vic, though I think that there was some serious persuasion to get that promise out of him ; )

Anyhow, I gotta go now – there's this mess about an ice sculpture in the bathroom.

Kitty

Willow smiled as she read through the email, and then clicked on the attached picture. Her breath caught and she just opened and closer her mouth a few times while blinking. No wonder she'd said that Dr. McCoy would fit in perfectly at Xavier's.

The man in the picture was blue. Well, covered with blue fur. If he were green and maybe ten years younger and not wearing glasses, he'd be an almost perfect match for Carl. Wow. At least he wouldn't flip about Carl being a fuzzy mutant.

Grinning, Willow typed out a reply.

To: ProudCat…

From: RedRose99…

Re: Subject: Life and School

Hey Kitty

I don't know about a visit, things here never really seem to calm down for long. Besides, we wouldn't want to push too hard on Vic and Logan – have you tried bribing Logan with brownies? It works on Vic.

That new teacher of yours – if he's Hank McCoy – Dr. Henry McCoy to fussy colleagues – I've got his nephew in my guest room. My latest stray. Apparently, there were a few little things and his dad freaked and kicked him out of the house. I looked at the picture and the resemblance is amazing.

Fill me in later about the ice sculpture – and just how artistic is Bobby anyhow?

Willow

Sending off the email, Willow looked back at the pages on psionic and magnetic abilities. While she still wasn't certain if Chris or Lillian was the empath, she was positive that one of her cousins had to be, and that they couldn't have any training. If Professor Xavier had sent some information to help them, it really needed to get to them. On the other hand, she knew that emails could sometimes be read by other people, so she might as well be careful.

Letting out a slow breath of air, she started to type.

To: LiStenner…

From: RedRose99…

Subject: Long Time No See

Hey Cousin Lillian! (and probably Cris too, I bet she's leaning over your shoulder to read this)

I talked to someone who talked to someone, and I think I might have something neat to show you. It might be able to help with those recurring nightmares – Cousin Erik knows a friendly psychologist, someone who gets that people still have feelings. Oh, and speaking of head-shrinks, Mom says to pass on that 'no boy or youthful relationship is worth giving up on the rest of your life or not pursuing your dreams and ambitions.'

Anyhow, since it's been a while since we saw each other and I don't have a car, why don't you take a bit of time over a weekend and come up to Sunnydale and visit? Let me know when, and make sure you'll get here before dark (badly lit streets and muggers, you know : ( ) and I guess umm… I've got another stray in the guest room, his dad freaked out and kicked him out and he left the whole city where he used to be – Zack could give you a real good idea why. But anyhow Carl's in the guest room. Maybe you can pick a weekend that Mom and Dad will be elsewhere and I can just put you in their room instead of on the couches or my floor, and now I'm babbling in an email, urggh!

Willow

End part 7.


	15. FT14: Changing the Odds 8 to 10

Willow sat on the grass in her back yard, eyes closed as she focused her attention on the magnetic fields around her. A handful of bolts and washers and a few unnamed bits of metal were currently impersonating a swarm of bees overhead. She hoped it wouldn't be needed, but considering that this was Sunnydale, she'd decided to practice a little more with controlling their movements.

Carl had left earlier, mumbling something about the library and books and Amy.

Vic had gone away, with a grin and rumbled, "Date with Cordelia. This time, we're headed for the beach. Maybe there will be some sort of killer fish or demon sharks."

She could feel someone approaching beside the hedge. Considering the bright sunshine, it couldn't be a vampire. The presence felt normal, so probably someone human, and it didn't feel small enough to be a child. Opening her eyes, Willow smiled at who was peering over the hedge. "Hey Xander!"

"How did you know I was here?" Xander asked, before grinning. "So, want to come along with me to visit Tracie? You might be able to give her a bit more reassurance that the hospital's not going to send someone after her because of that whole thing. And I still think that was a bad way to find out something that big about her."

"Xander, this is Sunnydale, the home of bad ways and bad things. You should be glad that things didn't turn out worse instead of complaining that she didn't tell you sooner." Willow scolded, and then sat up, pulling a zip-lock bag out of her pocket. She then called the little bits of metal back, letting them settle into the bag before calling her backpack over to her, glad of the steel grommets for the straps. Tucking the bag of metal into her backpack, she smiled. "Okay, lead on."

"Just like that? No big, scary bodyguard?" Xander grinned. "He always looks like he's thinking about carving me into little pieces."

"No, he's on a date today with Cordelia." Willow snickered. "They went to the beach."

"He's dating Cordelia? She finally found someone just as mean and scary as she is?" Xander shook his head. "Wow."

"Xander, that's mean." Willow tried not to giggle. "Okay, she's got her moments, but she's a lot nicer than she was in junior high. I think the whole discovery that there's scary things out there that would eat her thing has improved her personality."

"It would about have to." Xander muttered. "So, when did you start to like Cordelia?"

"She's been trying to help about the slaying stuff, or at least know enough about what's happening to not get killed." Willow brushed the grass from her pants. "She was one of the few people who didn't change the way she acted towards me when the mutant rumors started. And then there was that vampire, and I think it kind of made her realize that I wasn't just a geek with bad clothing, so she's a little nicer. And I have no idea what's going on with her and Vic, and I don't know if I want to know, if that makes sense."

"Ummm… no." Xander shook his head.

"Okay, I don't know if I like her, but I think she's changing. I want to get to know the new Cordelia a bit better, especially since she and Vic seem to have this… thing." Willow shrugged, deciding that she really didn't want to think too much about that particular couple.

"That actually made sense." Xander made an exaggerated shudder. "Now, let's go visit my girlfriend."

Willow laughed, and they started to walk down the street. Things almost felt like they had before all of this had started, before she found out that she was related to Magneto, before she learned that she was a mutant. Hopefully it would last a while.

It felt like hardly any time at all before they were walking into the group of houses and apartments where Tracie lived. Smiling, Xander walked up to a small house, whistling something that Willow could almost recognize. Tapping at the door, he called, "Hey, Tracie, got time for some company?"

The door opened, revealing Tracie, though her hair had a bit more red than usual. She smiled and waved them inside, carefully not giving a spoken invitation regardless of the sunshine. "Xander, Willow, hey. I've got some iced tea."

Willow frowned as she stepped inside, feeling another presence. Glancing around the living room, she blinked at the woman sitting in the chair, feeling the handgun tucked beside her. "I didn't know you had other company. Are we interrupting?"

Tracie giggled, "Not really, well, only a little. This is Alazcia, a friend of my aunt Raven. She's staying with me while she's in town."

"He's the boyfriend? Somehow, I don't think your aunt will be impressed," Alazcia murmured.

"I know this is California, but not everybody lives in a mansion," Xander grumbled.

Alazcia gave a thin smile and lifted her own glass of iced tea.

Xander gave Tracie a big hug, and asked, "How's your shoulder doing? Did your aunt freak out about it?"

"It's still the same as it was the last time you asked, and yes. First she looked like she was going to explode right here in the living room and then she looked like she wanted to hunt down whoever did it and skin them. With a dull knife." Tracie leaned against Xander, and sighed, "She was less than delighted to hear that I have a boyfriend."

Somehow, Xander decided that Tracie needed his help to get some iced tea for Willow. Both of them vanished into the kitchen, still clinging to each other with sweet smiles. Smirking, Willow wondered if she'd even get that glass of tea or if they'd forget.

"You are here without your bodyguard," Alazcia commented, looking at Willow.

Leaning against the back of the couch, Willow shrugged, her tiny bag of bolts and washers and nails heavy in her jacket pocket. There was something about the woman's face that seemed unusual, though she couldn't put her finger on what it was, and her energy field felt different. More yellowy than the orange-ish feeling that Xander, Giles, Cordelia, and Tracie all had. Of course, Logan's had been different too, orange wrapped around lines of white for his bones… "Yeah, he had somewhere else to be for the afternoon. It isn't a problem, he's allowed to try his best to have a life."

"He was here earlier, and I heard that this place has a Hellmouth." Alazcia was frowning now, the expression similar to the unhappy thoughts of demons and icksome things that Giles got all the time. "Do you know what that means? Does your friend?"

Wincing, Willow thought about Buffy and her destiny as the Slayer. She thought about demons and dead bodies and vampires attacking her friends. She thought about giant spiders in the forest and dissected frog-demons in the driveway. "I have an idea what it means. Evil vibes, monsters showing up, scary coincidences. Did I miss any of the low points?"

Chuckling, the woman shook her head, "That seems to cover most of them. There was one in my home, not the town I was born in, but the one my husband and I moved to dwell in. He was killed by a vampire, of course. I didn't think people in America believed in such things."

"Most don't," Willow admitted. "But I've seen too much not to know. I'm sorry about your husband."

"It was a long time ago," Alazcia murmured. "Now I need to have concerns for the reaction of humans to those who are different."

"Are you supposed to be Tracie's bodyguard?" Willow asked.

"Close. Her aunt wishes me to teach her enough that she will not have need of a bodyguard. The world can be very dangerous for someone who is different, and it seems that it is only becoming less safe."

"You've heard the rumors too?" Willow leaned closer, feeling her stomach flutter. Those horrible rumors… how many people were they frightening?

"They aren't mere rumors. Such things have happened before, and I think they are happening again. Once was enough." There was no doubt in Alazcia's voice.

Willow nodded, unsurprised at the woman's words. She'd hoped that they were just rumors, empty but frightening words, but she knew that humans were capable of very horrible things. Then, she felt a chill pass through her – people who were suspected of being 'different' were vanishing, what about a known mutant? One who was currently locked up, unable to escape? What about her cousin Erik? What about her other cousins, and this suspiciously sudden offer to let them go to a special school?

End part 8.

"Alazcia? What did you say to make Willow start frowning like that?" Tracie's voice came from the doorway, and she held two glasses of tea.

One was handed to Willow before Tracie and Xander settled onto the loveseat, looking very sweet together. She could see their fingers lacing together, and it looked like Xander's goofy grin would become a permanent feature.

Willow took a small sip of the tea before answering. "It wasn't anything meant to make things mopey. She said that some of the ugly rumors aren't just rumors, and that got me to thinking about my cousin Erik. They know he's a mutant, and since he's locked up… Who knows what they might try?"

"With those rumors…" Xander paused, and sighed. "You mean, you can't predict if someone will try some of that scary stuff on your cousin, not who's got an idea what scary people who don't expect to let things like laws and ethics get in the way might be willing to do to someone."

Willow nodded, thinking once again that there was something off about Alazcia's face. It wasn't the shape of her bones, or her eyes, and it wasn't her teeth, so what was making her think there was something different? Everything was put together in normal human arrangement and proportions… "I worry about him, and so does Opa, even if nobody else will."

"Not as many people worry about mutants," Tracie grumbled.

"Do his parents worry about your cousin?" Alazcia asked, looking slightly curious. "Or did they cast him aside when it was discovered that he was different?"

"Erik's parents are dead. I don't think he's really got any other relatives… not really. Not the sort who are more than just people with some of the same ancestors. And if those rumors about people with mutations that could be useful are true…" Willow trailed off, her mind spinning with dozens of ugly images. Erik kidnapped and tortured, people trying to force him to hurt people, trying to make him into a weapon. Or maybe they'd decide that he wasn't cooperative enough – which he likely wouldn't be – and wanted someone more biddable? What if they tried to make children that were genetically Erik's to raise as living weapons, or maybe they could try genetic therapy – if it was being researched to try to correct some birth defects, could they try to add abilities to someone that they felt would be loyal?

"Would a lawyer help? Tracie asked.

"She might be ahead to find someone who could get him out of confinement," Alazcia snorted. "Far too many lawyers can be bought off, especially by someone with such sums available as a military operation."

Willow frowned, considering the idea. If they didn't have him in that plastic box, they couldn't just march up and take him away for horrible things. If he wasn't in the box, he would be able to evade them, to keep them from kidnapping other people. But how to get him out of the box would be tricky. It was in a maximum security prison, with all sorts of electronic security measures and guards with guns…

Xander looked at Willow, and shook his head. "Nuh-uh, Willow. You are not going to march up to the prison and demand that they turn him over to you, and you aren't going to lead a jailbreak. They shoot at people who do that. You aren't going, even if I have to have Vic tie you down to keep you here."

"But…"

"No. Find a better plan," Xander insisted, glaring at her. "Don't try the resolve face, none of us are going to let you go get shot by a prison guard named Bubba."

Willow sighed, deciding that Xander was probably right. Besides, she didn't want to be shot, and a frontal assault would be doomed to failure anyhow. A plan to rescue Erik might be a good project for her, or maybe she could try to hack some databases and get some useful information…

"How long have the two of you known of the Hellmouth?" Alazcia asked, her chin resting on one hand.

"About a year, but we've lived here all our lives," Xander answered. "Before then, we knew that something wasn't right, but there's a gap between 'something's not right' and 'I know there's a Hellmouth', you know?"

"It's been a really eventful year," Willow whispered, her mind thinking of Jesse's death, the discovery that vampires were real, Buffy was the Slayer, nightmares turning real, discovering that she was a mutant, and related to Magneto… Eventful was an understatement.

"Maybe you could teach all of us some of those things that you were going to teach Tracie?" Xander turned his eyes towards Alazcia, trying to look cute and hopeful.

"It will be hard work," she cautioned.

"Isn't a bit of hard work now better than getting killed later because we didn't try?" Willow countered.

Alazcia only nodded. "We will meet twice a week, and you must try to practice some on your own."

"How about when hunting vampires?" Xander grumbled, rubbing at his knee. "I'd like to not pick up as many bruises on patrol."

Alazcia grinned, "I think I might start joining you on these patrols. Vampires are annoying at best, and life-shattering leeches most of the time."

Xander leaned towards Tracie, whispering, "I like how she thinks."

End part 9.

Life hadn't simplified any by morning, and Willow tried to refocus so that she could pay attention in school instead of letting her mind bounce around governmental policies, the Hellmouth, illegal medical experimentation, the prevalence of vampires, her cousin's politics, the possibility of an Amy-Carl romance, and the potential disasters that could happen if Vic and Logan were in the same room. She wasn't having a great deal of luck. Fortunately, they weren't doing anything challenging in school, so she could get by with her distraction in geometry.

The loudspeaker crackled with static, and then the secretary's voice announced, "Ms. Ramirez, could you send Willow Rosenburg to the office please."

Knowing, like everyone, that the school office didn't make requests so much as politely worded demands, the teacher sighed and looked at Willow. "You might as well go; I'm sure you can manage the homework on page one-thirty-seven."

Gathering up her books, Willow stuffed them into her backpack, not even thinking about the fact that her small bag of scrap metal shifted to remain at the top. Technically, a bag of washers, bolts, and rivets didn't count as 'weapons' under the school handbook. Her wire-wrapped staff did, which was why it stayed on the roof over the doors during school hours. She'd find out soon enough why she was being called to the office. She didn't think she was in trouble; she hadn't broken any of the school rules… well, maybe a little computer hacking, but she was confident that nobody had caught her.

Reaching the office, she pushed the door open, peeking in at the secretary. Mrs. White had been the school secretary – according to the school yearbooks, at least – for almost sixty years. She'd outlasted twenty three principles, and probably hundreds of teachers, considering the high turnover rate the school had. Either the woman was gifted with the luck of legends – unlikely, considering that she worked as a secretary over the Hellmouth – or the woman wasn't quite human. Willow had decided that regardless of which, the woman should be treated with respect and caution. "You asked for me to come?"

With a nod of her gray bouffant, Mrs. White gestured for Willow to come in and be seated. "Yes. There's a new student filling out her paperwork with the guidance counselor right now. Someone will need to help her get her books and find the classes, and considering that she'll be a junior like you, I felt that you were the best person for the job."

Gingerly settling on the faded upholstery, Willow tried to smile. So there was a new girl at the school… Her mind flashed back to Buffy's first day, and the many ways that life had changed since then. How much would things change now? How much like Willow was this new girl, and would she be someone tolerable? Another Harmony? Trying to hide the questions, she glanced at Mrs. White and tried to smile, "Of course I'll help her get her books and figure out where the classes are. What's her name?"

"Her name is Esme Stepford. She'll be in several of the same classes as you, and I do believe that she will have a free period next, so you'll have time to help her find her books," Mrs. White replied, her eyes taking on a slightly unfocused look. "I think it would be nice for the two of you to try to get along."

"Of course, Mrs. White," Willow nodded. She recognized that last comment for the subtle manipulation of someone trying to manage under another's nose – if challenged, why, she was only an older woman trying to ensure that the new girl had at least one friend. The biggest question was if there was any other motive beyond wanting the new girl to have someone to talk to, and if so, who's motive was it.

Willow settled in the chair, waiting to meet Esme. It was too soon to know if the new girl would be someone that she could be friends with, and long years of being ignored and rejected suggested that the answer would be 'no', especially now that she was 'Willow the Mutant'. In the meantime, she could try to figure out what Esme would be like. Maybe she was Hispanic, and could speak Spanish. Maybe she'd have her hair cut short and dyed some bright color, and clad in baggy pants and a shirt for some obscure band. Or maybe… Willow's musings were interrupted by a knock at the door. Outside, she could feel two presences, probably the guidance counselor and Esme.

The door opened, revealing a slender blond girl wearing a white blouse and a blue skirt. She had a small fake smile that seemed to make the guidance counselor beam.

"Ah, Miss Rosenburg," the man's smile was even worse than Esme's. "I see that you're supposed to show our new student around?"

Smothering a sigh, Willow nodded. "That's what Mrs. White asked. I have a free period next and she thought I could probably answer any questions."

"Go on then. I have high expectations for Miss Stepford," he smiled at the blond.

"I suppose the first stop should be the library for your textbooks," Willow decided, looking at Esme. "As far as school libraries go, it's pretty good, and there's plenty of room to study inside."

Esme followed Willow down the hall, and then asked, "Why doesn't he like you?"

"There's this rumor going around that I'm a big, scary mutant. He's pretty sure that I am, and that mutants are horrible people, and that I don't deserve to have good grades or be able to get into a good college instead of a normal human. But I'm not, I mean, look at me, I'm only big if you're comparing me to a smurf, and I'm certainly not scary…" Willow realized that she was babbling, and cut off the words. She tried to focus instead on wondering where Esme was from, she had a slight accent. Not a Hispanic accent, or the faint traces of German that her Opa had, or one like Alazcia, but there was definitely something.

Esme had a sharp smile as she murmured, "I notice that you didn't say that you weren't a mutant."

"If I am, it's nothing visible. Even if I'm not, does it matter if everyone thinks that I am?" Willow pushed open the door to the library, before asking, "Did he give you your schedule? I need to know what books you'll need. Oh, and I'll need to introduce you to Mr. Giles, the librarian."

"I have a schedule," Esme passed it over. "As for the truth of you being a mutant, to some people, and in some situations it could matter a great deal."

Willow frowned at that; the words raised too many questions. 'Situations' could mean grave danger, where mutant abilities could provide an escape, or it could mean angry mobs. Though angry mobs weren't known for checking the facts before they mobbed. The way that Esme had worded her statement didn't tell Willow how the other girl felt either; Esme had to have an opinion on mutations.

She introduced Esme to Giles, and collected the books, which they then stashed in Esme's locker. The school tour, tedious as it felt, resulted in Esme assuring Willow that she could find everything important now. By the time the bell rang for Chemistry, Willow was convinced that Esme would bear watching. Maybe she was being overly suspicious, but she'd rather be too cautious than get eaten by some demon or sacrificed in a nasty ritual.

End part 10.


	16. FT14: Changing the Odds 11 to 15

Willow returned to the library, ready to practice some more escapes and throws with Giles. She still wasn't quite certain what to think about Esme, beyond that she seemed smart, nowhere near as bubbly and vapid as Harmony, and was hiding something. Not that Esme wasn't entitled to her privacy, and a few secrets, but this being Sunnydale, Willow was a bit worried. To many times secrets ended up being something bad. She'd just have to keep her eyes open and see if she could find anything with the computer.

"Ah, Willow. Here for more practice?" Giles smiled at her, shelving another book.

"I'd rather get a few bruises now learning than need it and not know. And while I know Vic wouldn't let anyone hurt me if he could stop them, he's not always here, and he won't always be with me. You never know when an attack will happen either," Willow shook her head. "And I'm still thinking about that new girl."

"She seemed polite enough," Giles offered, adjusting his glasses.

Willow nodded, "Polite and smart. But she's hiding something, and this being Sunnydale…"

"You fear that she may be hiding something dangerous."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Willow agreed. "I'd like it to be something simple, an unhappy break up, divorced parents, you know, ordinary, safe secrets. Not evil plans to destroy the world, open the Hellmouth, or kill someone I know."

"That would be nice," Giles sighed.

Willow practiced with Giles, learning about ways to break holds and to use an opponents mass and momentum against them. The theory was remarkably easy for her to grasp, and she made quite a few comparisons to geometry and physics, but Willow found that putting those theories into action was considerably harder.

"Ow. Muscles that I didn't know I had are sore," Willow grumbled.

"You might want to take classes," Vic's voice came from the shelves. "There are places that offer them, and it would be useful in this town. Fluffy's not bad, but she doesn't seem to want to help you learn."

Willow sighed, rubbing at her elbow, "She thinks she can keep me safe if I don't know what's going on. I think my parents take the same approach. The one that says ignorance is safe bliss."

Vic didn't bother with words, but the sound left no doubts as to his opinion of that philosophy.

"I must agree with your bodyguard on that issue," Giles frowned, and sighed. "Hopefully, you are being paranoid about the new student, but considering that this is the Hellmouth, I will only suggest that you observe carefully before taking any unnecessary actions."

"Yes Giles," Willow grumbled. "I know, better safe than sorry. Sometimes I hate living over the Hellmouth."

That evening, Willow walked towards the Our Lady of Peace cemetery, comforted by Vic's presence just behind her and her sharpened staff in hand. She could see Xander, Tracie and Alazcia waiting near the gates. Looking towards Xander, she sighed, "Buffy's starting in the old factory district again?"

"Yeah," Xander shook his head. "Any bets on how likely it is she'll stop at the Bronze for a few hours and then just do a quick sweep past a cemetery or two on the way home?"

"She's on another off stage with Angel and being depressed about it, no more than forty minutes at the Bronze before a few cemeteries to try to stake the newbies and vent her frustration," Willow countered.

"Buffy?" Alazcia raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Buffy's-" Xander started to answer, interrupted by Willow's hand covering his mouth.

Giving Xander a quick glare, Willow finished, "Buffy's a friend of ours. She also knows about the scary stuff."

"She's also not as helpless as her name suggests," Vic added.

"That's good for her future survival," Alazcia murmured. "Now, I do believe there should be some vampires around here? Will anybody notice if… well, anything?"

"Don't blow up the cemetery, burn down the walls, or destroy the neighboring buildings, and things should be fine. Almost nobody investigates strange noises after dark, and anybody we rescue will probably repress everything away anyhow," Willow scowled, and kicked at a tuft of grass. "Denial isn't just for therapy."

"Remember, Tracie, with your injured shoulder, you should try to avoid a direct fight," Alazcia's voice was soft. "However, I do want you to pay attention and learn from what will happen."

Xander passed around wooden stakes to everybody but Vic, who grinned and flexed his claws. Suitably armed, they entered the cemetery. Willow glanced around, trying to compare the diagram of the grave plots to the reality of the cemetery.

"There were two suspicious bodies that might wake up tonight. One was Salvatore Cantu, and I think he should be just a bit to the right and near the little driveway. The other was Diana Whitmore, and her plot's all the way in the back left corner," Willow glanced around, wondering if she'd hear any vampires approaching. "And remember that some vampires send people out to collect their new minions."

"Right, everybody go carefully," Xander shudder, and looked back at Willow. "Why did I think this was a good idea?"

"Because you won't always have someone else there to get rid of the bad guys, being helpless sucks, and you don't want to die," Willow grinned, the smile faltering as she remembered all the people who had died or 'vanished' that she'd known.

"Yeah, well… I don't think this is going to be any fun," Xander grumbled.

"Speak for yourself." Vic glanced around, his eyes reflecting the moonlight. "I intend to have plenty of fun."

End part 11.

Salvatore Cantu had only started to claw his way out of his grave when they found him. Willow waited until his shoulders had cleared the ground before she set her staff to thumping him in the head, calling to Xander, "Stake him!"

"Right," Xander moved forward, flinching at Willow's staff before stabbing at the back of the vampire's shoulder.

Salvatore didn't dust. Instead, he snarled, twisting to try to claw at Xander, shouting "That hurt, you little punk! I'm going to kill you!"

"You hit the shoulder blade, you need to get the heart," Willow called, making her staff swing at the vampire's face.

"Easier said than done, best bud," Xander grumbled. But he stabbed again. This time, Salvatore crumbled to dust.

"Well that was... something," Tracie murmured, rubbing at her arms. "I'm definitely getting the feeling you're an amateur at this."

"Not bad for a first attempt. Your aim wasn't bad," Vic rumbled. "Push hard enough and you can go through the bone to the heart. You need a bit more upper body strength for that."

"And he's definitely not an amateur killer," Tracie rubbed her arms again, stepping closer to Alazcia. "Do you really trust this guy?"

"I have the utmost confidence in his abilities." Alazcia smiled, and glanced around. "Didn't Willow mention another grave?"

"Right, towards the back of the cemetery," Xander agreed. "Let's go see who's up for the next round."

"Ohh, quips and banter," Tracie giggled, moving to loop her arm over Xander's. "Come here often, handsome?"

"Too often," Xander grinned. "Shall we lead the way, my dear?"

"Sap," Vic sighed.

"It's kind of cute," Willow sighed, feeling a pang as the thought crossed her mind that Xander had never looked at her that way. Never had and he never would. She'd had a crush on him forever, and he'd never noticed. Probably never would. At least he seemed to be doing okay with Tracie. They were… cute. "But yeah, he is kind of a sap."

Nearing the back corner, Willow frowned. She could feel people moving, only their presences were different, like angry reddish orange static. "Guys? Remember that comment about welcoming parties? Someone decided to throw one for Diana. There's around a dozen, give or take a few, and they definitely don't feel human."

Tracie's comment wasn't in English, but Willow had no doubt at all that it was something unhappy, rude, and maybe anatomically impossible.

"Have I ever said that sometimes it really sucks that you're right all the time?" Xander grumbled.

Willow shivered as they walked near a pair of old trees, the branches blocking the moonlight. The vampires were so close…

The trees made a perfect ambush point. Willow wasn't exactly surprised, but she wasn't as prepared as she would have liked. Her sharpened staff impaled the one who was the closest to her, and she watched as Tracie and Xander worked together to take down another, stabbing several times until the vampire crumbled. Alazcia staked hers neatly, as easily as Buffy ever had.

Vic just waded into the vampires, growling and slicing. No doubt he was enjoying the fight. Willow shuddered as a hand came flying towards them, slowly crumbling.

A pair of them grabbed Alazcia, and she shrieked something in another language, one that Willow thought might be Romanian.

A bright light flared around Alazcia's hands, like white fire. The vampires that had tackled her screamed, clawing at their eyes as they crumbled. Willow felt the effect was remarkably similar to sunlight.

Blinking, she extended her senses. She couldn't feel any more red static lurking. The ones surrounding Vic faded, and she realized that had to be the feel of a vampire dusting. Sort of cool in a creepy kind of way.

"Wow… that's… wow," Xander stammered, blinking at the light around Alazcia. "Really bright."

"If you could do that, why let us get tackled, bruised and scraped?" Tracie asked, dabbing at her elbow.

"I've never seen it do that before," Alazcia shook her head, staring at the bright flames. "It doesn't burn people."

"They burned," Xander insisted, and then grinned, "Does that mean the vamps aren't people?"

Willow just looked at the older woman, noticing the way that some of her skin seemed to shine in the light, making her look like she had spots around the sides of her face and over her arms. Looking past her, she could see that Diana was already out of her grave, hopefully part of the dust now layering the grass. "Right, I guess we can leave now. You've been able to do that for a while? Can you… can you light fires with it?"

"Matches, cigars, fuses and candles, yes. Campfires no. Pilot lights for stoves, yes. Angry mobs, no," Alazcia sighed, and raked her fingers through her hair. "If I'd known those bright flames could do that, I would have started hunting vampires years ago."

"Okay, everyone chalk it up to a learning experience, you try it again, hopefully without getting tackled first, and we move on, either to the next cemetery or to go back home," Willow declared, and then blushed. "If that's okay, of course."

Vic had the audacity to laugh as they made their way to another cemetery.

End part 12.

No more than twenty minutes passed before they concluded that Buffy obviously hadn't swept the cemeteries. There was a group of vampires, accompanied by a large greenish demon with horns that was built like an exaggerated linebacker, and almost as tall as Vic. One of the vampires had been carrying a small box, the sort that Willow was certain meant some sort of valuable and possibly dangerous object was inside.

Vic growled and pounced on the demon, claws out and obviously eager for a fight. Of course, that seemed pretty normal for Vic. Xander and Tracie were tag teaming one of the vampires, keeping him off balance enough that he couldn't get either of them. Willow had unleashed her little swarm of metal, having them smack into the vampires and clip them, keeping them irritated and distracted, something made easier by the fact that they couldn't get a clear look at the flying bits of metal. She was also using her staff, attempting to knock one down and stake him.

Alazcia had no trouble calling her fire again, and the vampires caught with the smallest touch.

Seeing this, Willow grinned and changed her strategy. The new goal was to keep the vampire distracted and force them back enough that Alazcia could tag them. Xander and Tracie had staked the first one that they'd fought, and were holding against a second.

In the end, all the vampires were dusted, two having been staked, and four having burned after Alazcia's white fire had caught them. Vic had shredded the demon, and Willow found herself quite glad that she couldn't get a good look at the remains. The rest of them had some bruises, and a few small scrapes, but no serious injuries.

"That went better than I'd expected," Willow admitted. "But I'd like to call it a night."

"Get the box, it could be something important," Xander insisted.

Willow frowned as she stared at the small box, which had fallen to the ground when Alazcia burned the vampire holding it. She could feel it, but it didn't lift when she tried a mental tug, like she could do with her little steel bits or the bottle caps. Obviously, it wasn't iron or steel.

"Guess I have to do this the old fashioned way," she picked it up with her hands, blowing the ashes away from it. It was about the size of a shoe box, the sides carved with strange shapes that were probably pictures, though she couldn't be certain. Her guess was that the pictures would be gross. It was also heavier than she expected, more like a stack of textbooks than a shoebox.

Xander, Tracie and Alazcia walked off, headed back towards Tracie's house. Willow shook her head, and waited until they were far enough away that her words shouldn't be heard before glancing towards Vic. "After I'm safely home, can you make sure he's okay? I'd hate to have him vanish halfway back to his house. He's been my friend since kindergarten."

Vic just sighed.

Willow could feel him following her as she walked back to her house. She was getting better at sensing people around herself, but her range was still limited.

It wasn't until they were in the residential areas again that Willow noticed something strange. She could feel a vampire scurry past, but the feeling was from beneath them. "That's weird… beneath? Why… oh, there's a vampire going along in the sewer tunnels."

"Heading towards us?" Vic demanded.

"No, heading towards the center of town. I just… I could feel him, or maybe it was a her, but I could feel the vampire, and they were beneath us, and then I remembered the sewers and the tunnels, and…" Willow took a breath and realized that she'd started to babble. "Sorry. I'm still learning. People have bio-magnetic field, and I figured that if I could pick them up, then I wouldn't be as easy for someone to sneak up on."

Chuckling, Vic shook his head. "Good to practice that. Don't worry about that vampire for now."

"okay," Willow smiled, and then caught sight of her house, the windows all dark. "I guess Mom and Dad didn't realize I was out… I'm supposed to go to bed by ten."

"It's almost one," Vic glanced at her.

"I sort of didn't tell them, remember? Guess they didn't check on me," Willow shrugged, trying to feel relieved instead of a tiny flicker of hurt. The door was still locked, and with a mental push and twist, she popped it open and moved the little chain.

The indoor lighting revealed the box to be made of either gold or bronze. Willow looked at it for a few moments, deciding that the images looked rather Central American, and tucked it into a drawer. She didn't want it sitting out where someone could see it, and leaving it might give her weird dreams anyhow.

"Parents are asleep, Carl fell asleep over a chemistry book. The house is clear," Vic glanced at her fish tank, for a moment letting his eyes track the slowly swimming fish. "I'll go check on the boy."

"Thanks," Willow smiled at him.

Tomorrow would be another day at school. Maybe she'd be able to learn more about the new girl, Esme Stepford. Maybe Buffy would have found something odd on her patrol. Maybe…

Willow yawned, and tucked herself into bed. Maybe she'd best get some sleep.

End part 13.

School began as it usually did, with math, and people complaining about the math, and assignments due at the beginning of class. Willow had simply handed in her paper and moved to her desk. The chemistry didn't give her the same problems that it apparently gave some of the others, but Mr. Geraldo didn't like her asking too many questions, or smiling, or saying hello… or much at all. He didn't call on her for answers in class either. She suspected that it was a result of all the mutant rumors.

That depressing start was followed by English, which was not one of her favorites as a result of Ms. Crowe and her love of having the students give oral presentations. Willow had been petrified of speaking in front of a class last year, and while she'd since discovered bigger, scarier fears, she still didn't like it. She didn't like _Wuthering Heights_ either – all of the characters seemed so unpleasant.

Of course, English was one of the classes that she shared with Esme Stepford, the new girl. There were a couple of the popular jocks in the class, trying to get Esme's attention and receiving only a little amused smile. More puzzling, Esme completely ignored Rosalie, one of the popular girls with a following of student minions, much like Cordelia had been last year.

Things took a strange turn when Ms. Crowe gave them some time to work on their papers and Esme walked over to Willow's desk, a pack of papers and a battered copy of _Wuthering Heights_ in one hand. With a small, slightly smug smile, she settled in the chair beside Willow. "I've gathered that you're one of the smart people here at Sunnydale. Ms. Crowe suggested I talk to someone about the previous assignments for this book, so that I'm up to speed with the discussions."

"You do realize that there's all sorts of people who'd love the chance to talk to you about the book, the assignments, anything you want to talk about?" Willow arched one eyebrow, wondering how much of this conversation was Esme's idea and what the real plan was. She'd had people talk to her about homework before, meaning that they wanted her to do the work, but… that didn't usually come out so close to the teacher.

"Rosalie wants a minion. I will not be the minion of some high school brat who hasn't faced anything more challenging than a date for the last minute party. The jocks want to get me into bed, and none of them are worth my time. Besides, I have the feeling that you can cover the assignments and plans instead of using the time to interrogate me about my past," Esme dismissed the rest of the class with a shrug.

Willow blinked, thinking that this had to be the oddest homework conversation that she'd found herself in, and nodded, "You're probably right about the jocks. The first assignment that she gave us is an ongoing one. We're supposed to make a personal file about each character. Write down how they're described, what they do, how they act and talk, our thoughts on why they do what they do… She said she'd collect them at the end of the book. She said she didn't care what sort of format we used, the files wouldn't be graded on grammar, or structure. But she does want to be able to follow what we've got and match things to the book."

"Let me guess, this also helps encourage the class to read the book?" Esme tapped the cover with one pale finger. "And she'll be able to tell if the handwriting changes, or doesn't match other work handed in by that student."

"Pretty much," Willow nodded. "The one she gave last week, just the day before you started, was to pick a character and write a three to five page paper about how you think they'd turn out if they were born more recently, so that they were adults today instead of then. Cover page, citations, turned in with a flimsy little folder… the whole thing."

"When's that one due?" Esme sighed, tucking a pencil behind one ear and revealing what looked like diamond earrings.

"This Friday," Willow muttered. Part of her mind was trying to place Esme's accent while another part was trying to remember just where she'd tucked the several page handout scheduling the book and assignments. "Here, she gave us a schedule for the book, what she was assigning when, though she changed a couple little things. We can make a copy of it for you… I should have thought of this yesterday."

"I'm from Boston. I don't like football or French, and I have an interest in politics and finances. Now you know more about me than everyone else in this school," Esme's words felt sudden, just dropped into the background of pages turning, pens scratching, and grumbles about language and stupid characters, as well as gossip about last weekend's game and parties and the band that had been at the Bronze.

"Ohh… okay," Willow blinked. Esme was offering information, information that most of the rest of the class would beg for, and it was apparently... well, just because. She wondered what had prompted Esme to choose Willow to talk to, to confide in, though nothing that she'd said was terribly personal. "I did notice that you weren't taking French."

"My mo… Father's wife made me take French lessons. Four years of them, until I could go with her to Marseilles and not use English once. I hated that trip. But it wasn't about what I wanted, or what anyone else wanted, just about her. Always about her."

Esme was barely speaking over a whisper, forcing Willow to lean closer to hear the blonde girl. As many differences as Willow had from her own parents, she'd learned a few things about psychology from them, and more from the books that they kept at the house. Esme sounded like she had some serious issues with her… her mom? Stepmother? Willow reached out, touching Esme's fingers lightly, wanting to find the words to make things better, to fix the pain behind those words. "I can't make everything better, but I'm a pretty good listener, if you ever want to talk."

At those words, Esme smiled, "I'll keep that in mind."

The bell rang, releasing everyone from English class, and Willow remembered Vic's words, calling her a big softie. She also remembered some of the warnings from Giles – appearances can be deceiving, especially on the Hellmouth. There was no reason that she knew of not to listen to Esme, but she'd best not jump into too many things. Listening was fine, but she wasn't ready to invite the girl over just yet. Especially since the smile – and it had been a very pretty smile – had seemed about as warm as one of Bobby's ice sculptures.

Maybe she'd better do a little investigation on Esme Stepford…

End part 14.

After school, Willow found herself in the library. Giles had asked her to look for suspicious deaths, and Buffy was spinning this ridiculous story about vampires near a fish packing plant ruining her outfit, wanting to know if she could get it replaced at the Council's expense. After all, as Buffy reasoned, it only got slimed because she was out patrolling, which she was only doing because it was her destiny, and the nasty slime of fish entrails was something that just wouldn't come out.

While Giles plead uncertainty and told Buffy that he would need to check the protocol for wardrobe expenses and retreated to his office for a cup of tea, Willow glanced over and asked, "How did the French test go?"

"It went, but not away. I passed," Buffy smiled before muttering "barely passed."

"Passing is good," Willow tried to be encouraging.

"Have you seen the new girl? Buffy asked. "About so high, pale blond hair, pretty in a mannequin sort of way, a bit preppy?"

From that description, Willow guessed that Buffy didn't like Esme very much. "Esme Stepford. Ms White volunteered me to give her the tour, help her get her textbooks, and to see that she settled in. She seems… I think Sunnydale's a change for her."

"I don't like her," Buffy frowned. "She's in my history class, and she's just… frosty."

"The jocks were trying to flirt, and she was ignoring them, right? She did that in English," Willow mused. Mentioning Esme reminded Willow of her promise to copy the schedule for _Wuthering Heights_, and she sighed. "I've got to go use the copy machine for a few moments. The search should finish pretty soon, just look for a listing of weird dead bodies."

"Wait, what are you doing? Willow?" Buffy called after her friend. "Willow?"

Cordelia was at the copy machine, which was spitting out the schedules for basketball and football. She held a clipboard in one hand, and was dressed in her own sleek and stylish version of gym wear.

"Umm, Cordelia? Football schedules?" Willow considered the other girl, who was far more likely to have dated a football player than played football, and then blinked. Of course, Cordelia had been one the cheerleading squad last year, she was probably working on the cheerleading practice schedule, or maybe helping work with it… "To fit the cheerleading practice in around them?"

"Something like that," Cordelia agreed. "Why are you making a copy of that?"

"Esme missed getting the schedule, so I told her I could make a copy of mine," Willow shrugged. "It's not that big of a deal."

"She's got class," Cordelia had a half smile. "For once, I've got decent competition to rule this miserable school. Rosalie barely counts."

"Does that mean you like her?" Willow asked, still uncertain just what went on in Cordelia's head.

"Don't be silly. She's not very friendly, she won't talk about herself, and the guys are just falling all over her, and she's lapping it up. I don't like her at all," Cordelia shook her head, and then gave a little smile, "But I can respect her. She's good at what she does. We're both…"

Willow tried to think of a polite version, and the closest that she could come up with was "Alpha females?"

"Exactly," Cordelia nodded. "And it's going to be me."

Willow wasn't so certain of that, but didn't feel inclined to argue about who would be the queen bitch of Sunnydale High. She left the copy room, the freshly printed schedule warm in her hand, and meandered along to Esme's locker. It was a moment's thought for her to convince the steel locker to open up, and she tucked the pages on top of the books, where it would be easy for Esme to find. Locking it again behind her, she returned to the library. She needed to make sure that search of the coroner's files finished up, and maybe Giles would know something about the creepy box those vampires had been carrying.

Before long, the coroner's files were open, and Willow had a listing of all the recent bodies, from which she pulled together a listing of the ones that had been drained or killed in some icky way that made her want to check with Giles and the demon books. Ten minutes of arguing, 'solemn duty', and a promise of looking into Council reimbursement or at least a shopping stipend, and Buffy was off with a list of graves and locations.

"Willow? Was there something other than a few of the more gruesome bodies that you wanted to discuss?" His voice was wary, touched with stress and exhaustion.

"You heard about the icky bodies, which are probably some nastier demons. I think Vic would be willing to help if they can just be dismembered," Willow offered a thin smile, and used her ability to top off the cup of tea beside Giles, thankful that he was using an enameled steel teapot. "We were on patrol last night, and ran into some vampires. They weren't the problem, but one of them was carrying a shiny box. I think it looked sort of South American, about the size of a shoebox, the weight of about five or six of the demon compendiums in a stack. There were carvings all along the sides, but I didn't get a close look. They gave a sort of creepy feeling. It seemed to be all the same color, and there weren't any gems or enameling on it. I'm just worried that it's a magical ritual box instead of a portable high resale value box."

Giles sighed and sipped at the cup of tea. "What else can you tell me about the box?"

"Completely not reactive from a magnetic perspective," Willow closed the browser to the Coroner's office. "It felt cool to the touch, but that's probably just being out at night, and it did the normal warming up thing when I carried it home. There wasn't a lock or a catch, and I didn't look inside. I wasn't sure I wanted to know."

"Quite understandable, but we will have to know. I need you to get the box and bring it back here so that we can give a more thorough inspection, as well as having the references on hand. Did you and your bodyguard notice anything else unusual last night?" Giles was looking at her over the teacup.

For a moment, Willow found herself wanting to babble excitedly about Alazcia and how her strange white fire had incinerated the vampires, and how it was so much easier to stake a vampire if their kneecap had been shot, as Tracie had discovered. But Alazcia and her fire weren't Willow's secret to tell, and Tracie couldn't be the first person to shoot at a vampire. After a slow breath, she just said, "No, but I guess Buffy must have been very busy with the old factory section. We didn't see her at any of the cemeteries."

Willow didn't know if she was getting to be better at hiding things or if Giles just let it go, but he only nodded when she told him that.

After that, she just handed Giles the listing of questionable and gruesome victims, complete with a couple black and white photos of the bodies. Leaving him to the research, she murmured "I'll just go get that box," and left the library.

End part 15.


	17. FT14 Changing the Odds  16 to 19

Willow made her way to the Rosenberg house, twitching the door unlocked and open with a thought. It wasn't until she was pulling down a glass from the cupboard to have a bit of juice before getting the box and going back to the library that it occurred to her that her parents should have been here. Pouring the juice, Willow sipped at it, carefully looking over the refrigerator in case there was some sort of note or memo from her parents. She was almost positive that they'd been scheduled to be here for a couple weeks before heading out to Texas…

Carl wasn't in the guest room, though he'd left a sticky note on her door, scrawled with a message about Amy and chemistry. Nothing from her parents, which didn't help Willow's state of mind. No human sized presences in the house, no weird additions of metal or wires or anything that hadn't already been there, and that reminded her to get the shiny heavy box of something that was not steel.

Sighing, she peeked into her parents' room, seeing their luggage still there, gaping open with formal shoes and a forlorn hairbrush. "I guess they didn't leave for another conference…"

Willow left the house, locking the door behind her. She could feel Vic just over that way, lurking behind the Murphys' hedge. That made her feel a bit better, but there was still something that wasn't right, and she didn't know what it was, or what it meant. "I guess I'll have to figure it out later."

"Research on the box?" Vic's question held a hint of dismay. "Does it have more demons that I can kill?"

"Research on the box, to figure out what it is and why they had it," Willow agreed. "The research will probably tell us more about the chance of demons. This being Sunnydale, I'm sure that there will be more demons for you to kill somewhere along the line."

"What else?" A hint of growl laced through the words.

"Nobody's home. No Carl, which could just mean he went to visit Amy. No parents, but their luggage is still there. My parents haven't left any notes, there's no new wires or electronics… I just don't get it," Willow tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and shrugged, "And I suppose that I can't do anything about it right now. Which sort of sucks."

"No strange scents around the house, so nothing walked up and messed with them. No signs of vampires in the yard… I guess they're figuring out that isn't safe," his smile suggested that he'd had fun causing that new avoidance. "From the scents, Carl walked out around three, your parents maybe an hour before you got there. Carl hit the sidewalk and turned left… probably going to see the brownie girl. Your parents got in the car and drove."

"Huh…" Willow frowned. Something just felt wrong about her parents leaving like that. Not that she was going to argue with Vic about what happened, but the whole 'why' seemed highly suspicious. Carl going to see Amy sounded just fine, though she did find herself wanting to call and double check…

For several moments, Willow stood there, considering her parents, Sunnydale, and the fact that there usually was something wrong out there. With a sigh, she went to the phone and dialed Amy's house.

Five minutes later, she put the phone back down. Carl was with Amy, allegedly studying chemical reactions, though she suspected more than a little smooching and snuggling. He wasn't sure when he'd be back, but wasn't in a hurry. There were still about four, maybe five hours before dark, so vampires wouldn't be a problem for Carl, and maybe not for her parents.

The fact that she felt more worried about Carl than her parents left her feeling a bit guilty.

"Now what?" Vic asked, his claws flexing a little. "There's nothing here to do anything with. Will there be another patrol with Alazcia? Grave checks? Pizza with five kinds of meat?"

"Now back to the library with the shiny metal box. Patrol with Alazcia is on for tomorrow, Buffy's supposed to be doing the grave checks, and if we're researching long enough, we can get pizza delivered," Willow hefted the box and made her way back out of the house. The quiet was creeping her out a little.

Giles made happy Watcher noises when she put the box in front of him. Careful inspection revealed a seam that went all the way around, suggesting that the lid just slid on and off of the rest, with no latch, hinges, or lock. The sides were carved with three rows of figures that had a strong resemblance to the carvings of the Aztecs or the Incas. Willow knew that there were all sorts of cultural differences, but she wasn't aware enough of those differences to explain them… and that completely skipped the chance that these were demonic carvings instead of Aztec or Inca.

They made a few rubbings, and Willow took a couple pictures.

As she was coming back from getting cups of tea for herself and Giles, she saw him open the box.

"Well, this is fascinating…"

"Giles, what if there had been something dangerous in there?" Willow asked, her own question making her think about how foolish taking the box home with her had been.

"It appears to contain a book," his voice was soft, the sort of hush that Xander had always described as a church-voice. "The pictograms look… but that shouldn't be possible… but if it is…"

"Does that mean you recognize the language?" She placed a cup of tea near him.

"It looks Incan. Most of what we know comes from the walls of their ruins, there are only four known surviving books written by the Incan people. If this is an Incan text… The possibilities are amazing," he was moving his hand over the book, not quite touching the surface.

"A book… I guess I was a lot closer than I thought when I compared it to a stack of demon compendiums," Willow smiled. "Shall we leave you with the book and head back home?"

"Yes, that would be fine," his comment had the absent air of no longer paying attention to flesh and blood.

"He's lost to book-land now," Willow sighed.

"Call ahead, we can pick up pizza on the way back to your house. He won't notice if we go," Vic agreed.

End part 16.

In fact, Giles didn't notice when they left the library. With a small sigh of 'book land', Willow let Vic lead them directly to the pizza place, including a few shortcuts that she would never have dared take this late in the day if she'd been alone. Of course, the fact that she was with her towering cat-like bodyguard who thought shredding vampires into piles of ash was fun meant that she was quite safe.

They collected one giant multi-meat pizza for Vic, and a small veggie pizza for Willow, along with an order of breadsticks, and headed to the Rosenberg house. Willow did feel a couple more vampires moving about under the streets, but there was still enough sunshine that they wouldn't come out along the main roads. The darker allies might be a riskier chance, and Willow was quite pleased that she didn't need to take any of those, and she wouldn't be alone anyhow.

"You know, once in a while it really gets to me how much happier I've been since I started writing to cousin Erik, and since I met you," Willow grinned at Vic.

Vic chuckled, "Most people aren't happy that they've met me, let alone thinking that life is better afterwards."

"I've been coming to the conclusion that normal is overrated and apparently pretty boring," Willow offered.

She wasn't sure quite why Vic started to laugh at that.

This pizza hadn't had a chance to get cool before they were home, and with a frown and a bit of concentration, Willow had the door unlocked and open. Making their way inside, Willow reached with her senses, concluding "My parents are still somewhere that isn't here."

"Didn't get enough pizza for them anyhow," Vic shrugged. "Now we can eat!"

Willow just giggled, and they settled down at the table to eat their pizzas.

Willow was just wiping the crumbs from the table when she heard a car pull up outside. It was only a few moments before the door opened and her parents came into the house, both of them with oddly dazed expressions.

Willow took a few steps towards them, frowning, "Mom? Dad? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's just fine, dear. Make sure you get plenty of rest, you have school tomorrow," Her mother spoke in a monotone. With that, her parents both headed towards their bedroom, her father giving an absent sounding "Good night, sugar."

Vic blinked at them, his hands twitching.

"That…" Willow watched as they left the room. "That was… completely weird. Dad never calls me sugar."

"They smell right… it is them," Vic offered, his claws still twitching.

"But they weren't acting right. Could they have been… drunk? Or drugged?" Willow whispered.

"They don't smell like drugs or alcohol," Vic shook his head. "Maybe a mind-walker got them?"

"But why would a telepath do… something to my parents?" Willow blinked.

"Don't know. Maybe they saw something. Maybe just for practice. Maybe for kicks."

"Well, it's creepy," Willow declared.

Vic just nodded.

Morning dragged around, and Willow, who hadn't slept well at all, eagerly showered, dressed, and went down for breakfast. Granted, it turned out to be mostly coffee, but she did nibble at a muffin before it was finally time to make her way to school. All sorts of disturbing ideas had drifted through her mind of what someone could have done to her parents. Used them as living puppets to commit crimes. Used them as a living puppet show… perhaps even… watched them…well, _together_. AS disturbing as the idea of her parents having any sort of current sex life was, the possibility of somebody using her parents as puppets to indulge their voyeuristic tendencies was even worse. Or they could have programmed them for some sort of later actions, like a sleeper agent prepared with a mind whammy instead of drugs and brain-washing.

Of course, being a telepath would make finding out someone's secrets exceptionally easy, but what could her parents know that was of special interest? That could possibly be worth that sort of effort to learn?

The fact that she had no idea why anyone would meddle with her parents minds didn't help.

Fortunately, school was rather uneventfully normal. Completed homework was turned in, new assignments given, most of the students avoiding 'Willow the mutant.' Today's gossip was about Devon and Harmony getting into a big fight at last week's party, Larry getting a ticket for running over a stop sign in a car that belonged to one of the other football players, Aura catching her boyfriend making out with another girl, some 'weird pervert' fogging up car windows over at the Point, and speculation about the next football game.

"Don't they get tired of it?" Esme asked during English, one hand gesturing towards Aura, who was whispering to one of the other cheerleaders.

Willow considered what the blonde meant. The gossip about who was dating who, who'd broken up, and who'd been caught with their pants down – sometimes literally. "As long as it's about someone that isn't them, not really. And since it's never about everybody at once, there's always plenty of people more than willing to talk about things."

"But… Larry and the car?" Esme wrinkled her nose.

"The car belongs to Matt Finch. Trying to figure out why Larry was driving Matt's car is apparently much more fun than geometry or the characters of _Wuthering Heights_. And Aura's going for the sympathy," Willow shrugged. "I'd be more worried about who or what's steaming up car windows over where people go to make out. It could be an ax murderer."

Willow didn't voice her concern that – this being Sunnydale – it could easily be a demon. Probably not a vampire, since steaming up the windows implied breathing and body heat, but there were lots of demons. Some of them would probably be trying to figure out how to get inside the car for dinner. Most people not only didn't know, but they worked hard to stay ignorant.

Esme seemed oddly quiet as she agreed, "Possible death and dismemberment does sound worse than scratched up paint or a cheating boyfriend."

End part 17.

By the end of the day, Willow really hadn't learned anything useful. Xander was too busy laughing at Larry getting in trouble – having been bullied occasionally by the football player – and at Aura getting cheated on by her 'lousy, two-faced bastard of a boyfriend that she'd stolen from some girl at St. Maria's.' Buffy was worried that the window-fogger could be some sort of demon. And Willow found herself on the computer, looking for weird 'vandalism' or break-ins, icky bodies that were either in need of Slaying, or signs of demons, or news articles that were portents of doom and prophecy.

She had sighed when Giles had used 'portents of doom' in such a casual manner. Then Willow realized that because of their association with Giles, they'd also started using words like portents, dismemberment, eviscerated, exsanguinated, and ominous in casual conversation. What was more depressing was the fact that these had become necessary parts of their vocabulary.

"Sometimes I hate the Hellmouth," Willow muttered. "Mangled animals near the point, missing livers and kidneys, questionably low levels of blood at the scene. Reports of prowlers and suspicious noises from several houses near St. Martin's cemetery in the last week, along with reports of vandalism in the cemetery itself. I think something's probably lairing inside. List of probable vampire victims that might wake up should be printing now."

"Vamps… A Slayer's job is never done," Buffy grumbled, making her way to Giles' office where the printer was located.

Looking at Giles, Willow offered, "Vic'd probably really like to look for some sort of carnivorous demon. Can he have the cemetery or the point?"

"Thus far there is no evidence that whatever is lairing in St. Martin's is actually hostile, though we can assume that there is in fact something there. However, whatever is near the point is killing and mutilating animals, we can infer that whatever is responsible would be inclined to do the same to humans, could it get within the cars. If he would be willing to handle that area?" Giles suggested.

"Hmmm, a carnivorous demon to track and kill… I think he can be persuaded," Willow snickered. "What about the cemetery?"

"Maybe we can check that out, with weapons in case of attacking demon?" Xander offered. "A group of us should be able to handle one demon. Or at least, run away if it's something big and nasty."

"Hmmm…. Willow, do those report give times for the prowler being active?" Giles asked.

Willow looked to the police reports again. Honestly, she wondered if the police station had ever heard of firewalls and system security. It was harder to hack into school records or City Hall than the police station's computers! "So far it looks like mostly between midnight and three in the morning. So maybe if Vic doesn't take too long over at the point, he could meet us there?"

"That does sound like a passable plan," Giles agreed.

"Looks like I'm going to be busy on grave watching," Buffy walked out of the office, page in hand. "It's kinda depressing that I'm starting to be able to tell which part of the cemetery someone's in by their plot number."

"Wow, that does sound depressing," Xander agreed.

"So, what about the rest of them? I can only be in one place at a time," Buffy asked.

"Dibs on Vic's behalf for the nasty at the point, and after he gets that, we'll check out St. Martin's as a group while you're on grave watch," Willow summarized. "Nobody but Vic and you will be out hunting alone, and I think you'll agree that Vic can take care of himself."

"Yeah, and he's welcome to the nasty demon," Buffy gave a small shiver. "Does he really have to sound like he has that much fun killing things?"

"I'm just glad he's killing demons and not us," Xander offered.

Ignoring their complaints about Vic's enjoyment of demon-dismemberment, Willow stood up. "Okay, I'll go explain to Vic, Xander can go see about some quality time with Tracie, and Buffy… there's time to study your French before you go grave watching."

"I'm doing better," Buffy mumbled.

Willow gave a wave, and left the library. Vic met her just a block away from the school, looking almost serious.

"Your parents seem normal again," he raked his hair out of his eyes before asking, "Any demons that I can kill?"

"Something's been killing and dismembering animals near the point. I figured that you'd want that one. Figure out what's killing them, you can kill it. It's probably been steaming up windows and trying to get the people there to make out. If that doesn't take too long, there's a we don't know what or if it's dangerous over hiding out at St. Martin's cemetery. We figured that a group of us would go there around midnight," Willow smiled at him.

"Is it dangerous or not?" Vic tilted his head.

"People have called the police about 'strange noises' and a prowler. It could be dangerous, but we don't know. Maybe another wandering mutant," Willow shrugged. "But this being Sunnydale, we figured that we'd be very careful when we go check it out."

"Good. Nasty things out there."

"That's why I have you to keep me safe," Willow smiled.

As they walked towards her house so that Willow could work on her homework before patrol, Willow wondered what had been going on with her parents. Just because they were back to normal didn't mean that nothing had happened, or even that everything was fine. It could be dangerous.

And she still had no idea what Esme Stepford was hiding.

End part 18.

Walking into the house, Willow could see her father in his favorite chair, reading the newspaper. A psychology journal and a cup of coffee sat on the end table beside him. He'd put the cup directly on the table top, just like always, despite the fact that Willow's mother had been telling him not to do that for as long as Willow could remember. This was why this set of end tables had glass tops, so that he couldn't end up leaving rings on the wood again.

Her mother was fussing over her suits and blouses again, and grumbling about the wrinkles that the suitcases always left in her clothing. "… and I don't know why this town can't keep a decent dry cleaning place. There's that awful one that takes almost a week to get things finished, and the one that leaves a funny smell, and that wretched place near the beach that always reeks of dead fish…"

Willow sighed, "Yeah, they do seem back to normal."

"How was school today, Willow?" Her father asked.

"Umm… pretty normal. It was school. We have a review paper in geometry that's supposed to help get ready for a big test next Wednesday. Some projects in English for Wuthering Heights," Willow paused, trying to figure out if there was anything else to mention.

"I remember needing to read that book for school. I hated it, and the only character who seemed like a decent example of a human being was the housekeeper," Her father mused.

"Our big project involves sorting out what we think they might be like if they were alive now instead of alive then," Willow offered.

"Spoiled, overindulged brats, the boy from the wrong part of town, and the negligent parents that enable the whole sorry mess," was his immediate response.

"Pretty much," Willow agreed.

"Anything else?" He didn't look up as he turned the page of the newspaper.

"Mmmm," Willow considered this carefully. It wasn't unusual for her parents to ask about her school when they were home, and sometimes they even listened to what she had to say. But she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else going on here, perhaps even something to do with her parents being all weird last night.

"There's a new girl at school. Her name's Esme Stepford, and Mrs. White asked me to show her around and help get settled in," Willow shrugged a little, as if there was nothing unusual about the situation. Really, they got new students in all the time as people moved into Sunnydale, and people leaving all the time, for a variety of reasons, many involving someone dying or getting mauled.

"Another friend? If I recall, that's how you made friends with that Summers girl, wasn't it?" He sipped at his coffee.

"That is what happened with Buffy," Willow agreed, thinking to herself that it was close. If you left out the vampires and the secret identity and the near death experiences.

"I don't know if it'll go that way with Esme or not. She seems…" Willow tried to sort out the best way to describe Esme without mentioning her certainty that the new girl was hiding something or sounding like she didn't like the girl. She didn't really know enough about Esme to know if she was someone to dislike, only that Esme wasn't the most outgoing, or friendliest of people. "I think Sunnydale's a big change for her, and I'm not sure that we have much in common."

"Not everyone can be friends with everybody, I suppose. Just be nice, make sure she gets off to a decent start, and things will work out," He took another sip of his coffee.

"Sure," Willow agreed, not feeling anywhere near that certain. "I need to work on that geometry review. Is Mom planning something for dinner?"

"As much as she's going on about the laundry, I doubt it," he answered.

Willow sighed. "If she's in that much of a mood, maybe I should be elsewhere for a while?"

"That might not be a bad idea. Why not spend some times with your friends?" her father suggested.

Willow glanced at him, seeing that he was still hidden by the newspaper. While she enjoyed spending time with her friends, her father normally suggested that she study, or read a good book. To suggest that's he spend time with her friends… Well, it could be a result of something on their last conference. "Maybe I will go out for a while."

Willow dropped of her school backpack, changed into patrolling clothes, and picked up a larger bag of mixed nuts, bolts, washers, and springs. Xander would be off with Tracie if he could, though there was a chance of homework. Buffy… maybe quality time with her mom. Amy and Carl would be together, claiming the excuse of chemistry to spend time together – she wished them good luck with that.

She decided to go visit her Opa. She hadn't been over in a while, and it wasn't like he could go visiting on his own. Maybe he'd have some advice about Esme, cousin Erik, and people being weird at school. If not, at least he'd listen. Glancing at the window, she called, "Vic? Want to order pizza? We can pick it up on the way to visit Opa."

"Sounds good. Bigger plant pizza for you and your Opa?" Vic was grinning. "I'll call."

"Yes, but no olives," Willow commented. "We should be there right about when it's done baking."

It was that simple. Vic called it in, they left at a casual jog, and Willow hoped that she could avoid worrying about anything at her house until later tonight. The maybe a demon at the cemetery should be distracting for a while. Maybe even terrifying… and why was she trying to convince herself that this was a good thing?

They picked up the pizza and continued on to Rustling Pines. As they walked up the driveway, Willow reflected that she was certainly in much better shape now than she had been in a year ago, and that in Sunnydale, that could only be a good thing.

Willow had a little internal debate about her staff as they walked up to the nursing home. On the one hand, the facility's official policy said 'no weapons'. On the other hand, she had a stick, which wasn't that much different than the canes that some of the residents used to move around the building. Feeling just a little guilty, she slipped it in with them, having it float around knee level so that Eileen wouldn't see it.

Opa was looking so frail that it worried Willow. She was sure that he'd lost a little more weight, and he didn't have it to spare. His hands had a faint tremor to them, and she could trace so many of the veins and arteries on his hands… "Hi, Opa. I have veggie pizza, with no olives. Want to help me eat it?"

"And what's in the big box that Vic has?" he asked, smiling at them both.

Willow giggled, "That's Vic's pizza. It isn't kosher, has more kinds of meat than I even knew could go on a pizza at once, and he'll eat it all by himself."

"Then we'll leave him to the not kosher pizza that probably has pork on it, and we can eat our vegetables," he patted the bed.

"Ham and bacon," Vic agreed.

Willow passed her Opa a piece of the veggie pizza, and settled down for a nice visit.

End part 19.


	18. FT14: Changing the Odds 20 to 24

"He's old," Vic murmured as they left Rustling Pines, "and getting frail."

Willow nodded, feeling like there was something stuck in her throat, and maybe in her eyes. "He is pretty old. Cousin Erik's his firstborn grandson, and he's not exactly young himself. I've had people tell me that I should feel lucky that he's lived this long, lucky that I've had a chance to know him. He's always been very healthy for his age"

Vic nodded, but didn't say anything else.

Willow didn't want to say the words out loud, especially not near the Hellmouth. She didn't want to admit that even if Erik's mother had been the child of his youth, her Opa was very old. That he might not have much longer. That he was looking much older and frailer than he had only a couple months ago. Didn't want to think about how something that she could recover from easily could be the death of her Opa.

She didn't want to think about the fact that he could die soon. That perhaps 'would' was a more accurate word than 'could'. Willow didn't want to imagine life without her Opa, as she'd been forced to adjust to life without Jesse, life knowing about vampires and demons, life as a mutant. Even though she knew that one day, she would have to face that reality.

"You have a scary thing to find near the point. I'll meet up with Xander and we'll try to figure out what's near the cemetery," Willow tried to distract herself from worrying about her Opa. She considered various types of demons that lurked in cemeteries, considered packs of hungry vampires. Thought about another Carl, hiding in a cemetery, hoping that the vampires and demons didn't find them and even more worried about the humans finding them.

Willow watched as Vic headed towards the point, ready to track down and destroy the predatory demon attacking the livestock. Despite all the lessons in self defense, despite her wire-wrapped staff, she felt less safe without him. She tried to convince herself that she was being, not exactly silly, but worrying too much. Vic wasn't going to want to spend the rest of his life tagging along behind her, scaring away any hint of danger. Besides that, she'd been taking lessons to get to a point where she wouldn't need a bodyguard standing behind her to scare away all the problems in her life.

"Not that a bodyguard can solve everything anyhow," Willow admitted. She was far more capable of defending herself than she had been a year ago, but this was Sunnydale, and caution was still a good idea.

Willow had made it half way to the community of houses where Tracie lived when she felt the red static covered orangey presence of a vampire. The presence suggested a vampire larger than she was, but not as big as Vic - maybe Xander sized. The vampire was moving towards her, perhaps trying to sneak up on her if he knew she was there. Trying not to let herself panic, Willow shifted her grip on her wire wrapped staff, and with her other hand checked that the bag holding washers, bolts, nuts, screws and nails was open, edging it closer to the edge of her pocket. She wasn't the same helpless girl from last year, and she didn't need a Slayer or a bodyguard all the time… she hoped.

Willow spun around, her staff lifting into position to attack, the bag of metal bits falling out of her pocket. Bits of metal scattered across the sidewalk, ready to fling themselves at the vampire in an instant, not attacking without looking just in case the vampire was Angel.

It wasn't Angel.

He had maroon streaks dyed into bright yellow hair and a battered Razorbacks letter jacket on, paired with a shirt for some band that she didn't recognize and dirty jeans. A former jock turned vampire. There was no subtlety, his eyes were yellow under the heavy vampire ridges, and his sharp teeth were bared in a sneer, "You can't hurt me, girlie. I'm too tough now. Gonna be around forever."

Willow had never liked arrogant jocks. She didn't like most vampires. A vampire that was also an arrogant jock was just appalling and frustrating and had to die. The bits of metal sped towards him, acting like a swarm of bees. They hit, with washers, nails and screws ripping at his skin while the bolts and nuts beat at him like bits of hail.

"What the hell?" The vampire twisted and flailed, trying to shield his eyes, swatting at the air around him.

Deciding that she obviously couldn't control enough separate bits with enough force to do serious harm, Willow made a mental note to work more on that skill later. Instead of seriously hurting him, she had him off balance, frustrated and confused. The same could be said of her physical muscles. With a come-here gesture, Willow summoned a manhole cover to bash the vampire in the back of the head. While he was stunned, she staked him, feeling much better as he crumbled to ashes. A few moments later, the manhole cover was back in place, her tiny metal swarm was back in the bag and in her pocket, and she was walking down the street again.

"Sometimes I can save myself," she whispered.

Willow was smiling as she continued towards Tracie's house. Granted, she clearly needed to practice more with her meat swarm, and it might not hurt to get some sharper bits in there. Maybe she could put an edge on the washers, or find some tiny saw blades? It would also help to strengthen her muscles. She was much stronger than she had been last year, but there was still plenty of room and reason to improve. If she'd been stronger, maybe she could have stabbed the vampire while her swarm had him distracted.

If she had better control, maybe her metal swarm could have shredded the vampire leaving no need for a stake. It wasn't that she couldn't pull something hard enough to damage someone, just that she couldn't seem to manage that much force with more than one or two things at once. Too many things split her concentration too much to apply as much force, unless she let her fine control diminish. It would take practice to keep the control and increase the strength.

"Most things take practice. Why would this be different?" She thought back on everything that she'd done or might have done with her power. "But I've come a long way."

End part 20.

Willow knocked on Tracie's door, hoping that she wouldn't be interrupting anything. As unhappy as she'd first been when Xander had started dating someone that well, wasn't her, she wanted things to go well for him. Wanted her best friend since kindergarten to be happy. Well, happy and safe. Without her walking in on them doing anything that would traumatize her, or maybe send her into a jealous fit.

"Hey," the door opened, revealing Tracie. Stepping away from the door, she said, "You seem to be in a good mood."

"A vampire tried to jump me on the way over," Willow admitted as she stepped inside. The lack of a verbal invitation was only sensible here, preventing recently turned vampires from slipping inside to kill you before you noticed something was wrong.

"Vampires are not our friends, and them jumping us is a bad thing, remember?" Xander called.

"The part where I managed to kill him is a good thing," Willow countered.

"What, Vic didn't rip him apart before you could?" Xander looked doubtful. "We all know how he enjoys killing the vamps, the demons… probably the anything…"

"Vic is on his way to the Point to find and kill a nasty. I was all by myself when the vampire tried to get me," Willow paused, considering that all by herself wasn't that safe. Pushing the fear away, she smiled, "And I got him all by myself. It wasn't elegant, it wasn't fast or subtle, but it worked."

"Alazcia doesn't think we should go by ourselves to the cemetery," Tracie pouted. "Something might eat us… and I suppose she has a point."

"But wouldn't the group of us, by definition of a group, not be alone?" Xander asked. "Back me up here, Willow. A group can't be alone, right? Cause a group is, you know, more than one."

"Well, a group is more than one," Willow agreed. "I think what she means is there needs to be someone strong enough that she doesn't feel like we're all gonna die. Maybe she could come with us?"

"What do you expect to find at the cemetery?" Alazcia handed Tracie a large handgun.

"Unless Willow's learned more since this afternoon, we don't know what to expect," Xander shrugged.

"Willow would have mentioned if she was certain of a hostile demon, wouldn't you, Willow?" Tracie glanced at Willow as she tucked the gun into an underarm holster.

"There's been signs of someone about, and some empty pop bottles and food wrappers. The neighbors have reported a prowler about and heard what's been written as strange noises. I'm not sure what they meant by that, because the police reports didn't describe them. So there's something or somebody there, and they eat food," Willow sighed and tried to identify how many bullets were in Tracie's gun.

"So not a vampire," Alazcia murmured.

"Maybe it's another mutant?" Xander looked up. "Wasn't Carl hiding in a little cave?"

"He was and it could be. Or it could be some sort of demon," Willow answered.

"And if it is a demon?" Tracie looked up, her eyes fading from hazel to yellow.

"If it attacks us, we defend and hope it isn't invulnerable to everything we've got. If it's some sort of not so violent demon, we suggest that the cemetery might not be the best place to hang out due to vampires," Willow shrugged. According to some of Giles' books, Tracie was a demon. But Tracie didn't seem to be dangerous, and she felt more threatened by some of the popular girls at school than she did by Tracie. She was willing to give someone who didn't look human the benefit of the doubt, as long as they didn't attack her or her friends first. And maybe that was another change from last year.

"When are these strange noises occurring?" Alazcia asked, a knife vanishing into her boot.

"The police reports claim between midnight and three," Willow shrugged. "Vic's supposed to meet us after he takes care of the nasty killing animals near the Point. Just in case the noises are something that wants to hurt us. For all we know if could be some sort of giant raccoon making the noises and just an ordinary but kinda lucky bum in the graveyard. In which case we hope the raccoon doesn't bite and warn the bum about vampires."

"A giant raccoon?" Xander smirked.

"You still don't believe me about the frog, do you?" Willow sighed.

"Frog?" Tracie asked.

"There was a camping trip when we were what, five? Maybe six?" Willow paused, looking to Xander to see if he could remember which age. "I went for a walk around this pretty little pond. Out of the water came this giant frog. It must have been bigger than I was."

"Wills came screaming back to our camp, babbling about giant frogs and ukeleles and evil slime. She's been creeped out by frogs ever since," Xander managed not to laugh, though it was obviously a close thing.

"If there can be giant frogs, why not giant other things?" Willow frowned, remembering the crocodile-like demon that had been in the sewers. There had been the walking frog-demon that had tried to kill her over the summer, which Vic had shredded in the driveway. And some of the books mentioned giant newt demons. "It isn't that much weirder than things that we've already seen."

"That's… okay, I'll give you that one," Xander sighed. "The Hellmouth sucks."

"So we have a few hours before we can expect the disturbances," Alazcia mused. "And I've also seen oversized frogs."

"Okay, so there are giant frogs. I guess we head over and hope not to see too many vampires?" Xander muttered.

"Vic was going to meet up with us after he took care of the nasty near the Point," Willow offered. Xander's expression made it clear that he didn't find Vic reassuring.

End part 21.

Xander and Tracie were walking hand in hand towards the cemetery, whispering to each other. Alazcia was watching them with an odd expression that seemed to mix amusement, cynicism, hope and maybe a little jealousy. Willow was walking towards the back, watching all of this. She could understand some of those emotions, unless she was completely reading in things that weren't there. Alazcia had mentioned a husband – maybe she was jealous that Tracie had someone here and now. Maybe she was hoping things would work better for them.

Willow sort of wished that she had a someone of her own. Someone that she could walk hand in hand with, smiling and whispering sweet things. Someone to sneak kisses with. Except that she really didn't have such a someone and she currently was rather lacking in prospects. Even if there's been someone interested before, the whole mutant thing seemed to have taken that from 'slim chance' to 'no chance'.

And now she was feeling sorry for herself about her non-love life. "I have to stop that. No more angsting for me, and no more chick-flicks where the girl stumbles over true love. I'm healthy, I'm smart, I've got plenty of time. It's okay that I don't have a guy right now."

The cemetery was… well, a cemetery at night. She didn't feel any vampires lurking at the front, though they all had stakes just in case. The moonlight on the headstones looked almost pretty in a creepy and morbid sort of way, and there were wilting flowers on a recent grave. A second glance let her see that the headstone read Melissa Masterson, and she remembered that name being on the suspicious bodies list a few nights ago. The disturbed ground suggested that Buffy may have had to Slay Melissa already.

"Where are we looking?" Xander called.

"If someone's hiding here, we should check the big mausoleums. You know, big and roomy enough to not give someone claustrophobia." Willow replied.

As they moved towards the back, Willow found herself thinking that something was off, she just wasn't certain what. Deciding to ask the rest, she called, "Is it just me, or is there something… not the way we expect?"

"I'm new to the whole night time walks through a cemetery, so whatever it is, I'm missing it," Tracie admitted.

"You know, now that you mention it…" Xander paused, glancing around before he offered, "It's really quiet. Like we're the only ones here."

"Be cautious, such quiet may be a sign of danger." Alazcia warned.

Willow tried to extend her awareness, and felt something at one of the mausoleums. She wasn't close enough to know what was there, but she really doubted that it was anything human. "Over there, one of the mausoleums is… not empty. But whatever's in there isn't a random human."

"Anything more specific?" Tracie asked.

"Sorry, I'm barely close enough to tell that it's occupied. I don't think human or vampire though," Willow offered.

"What of mutant?" Alazcia mused.

"So far, the mutants that I've met have felt like humans. I suppose some might feel different, if they were really not the same as most people are, or really big or small or had extra limbs, but –"

"Shhhh," Alazcia whispered. "We are getting closer, and they may be hostile."

Moving closer to where Willow could feel habitation, they could see light spilling out of one of the mausoleums. It was one of the larger ones, the sort intended to look big and impressive and to permit even the dead of the wealthy families to show how much better their budgets were than the ordinary people.

As they approached, Willow's nose wrinkled at the scents carried on the slight breeze. Cigar smoke, and something sort of like pond scum, and beer. There was also the sound of laughter.

"Why am I suddenly reminded of Dad's poker nights with his buddies?" Xander whispered.

Just a little closer and they could hear the sounds as well. Someone was laughing, though there was a strange clicking mixed in the laughter. Someone else was hissing, though the general feeling was that the hissing being was complaining. Another voice was saying something in a language that Willow couldn't even identify, much less understand. From this distance, she could sort out that there were seven beings inside, none of them quite the orangey feeling presences that were human. Then again, Tracie also had the same sort of orangey presence.

Edging over, Willow peeked at the doorway. She just see a little bit inside, identifying a pair of scaly elbows, suggesting that whoever the elbows belonged to had two arms on that side, a leg clad in dark grey track pants, and a portion of a visor cap over a bald, scaly head. Moving just a little more, she could see that two of the large stone crypts had been pushed together, with a couple empty beer bottles at the edge, and another on the floor beside an empty potato chip bag. Looking for the hands attached to the scaly elbows, she saw one hand holding another beer bottle and the other with several playing cards. Several stacks of poker chips had been piled behind the cards, with a less orderly heap there as well, and a CD case poking out of the pile of chips.

Willow edged back, tying to keep from laughing or muttering. Gesturing for the others to back up with her, she shook her head, whispering, "That was surreal."

"Meaning?"

She looked at Xander, "You were closer than you knew. It appears that the disturbances are from demons playing poker."

"Demon poker night?" Xander blinked, "Is that even… what are they playing for?"

"I saw poker chips, a CD, and beer. Pretty normal looking, except that the guy I saw was scaly and had two arms on that side," Willow shrugged. "Possible gambling addictions aside, I don't think we need to try to bust up their poker game."

"Demons play poker?" Alazcia shook her head, and muttered a few things to herself involving hellmouths and insanity and beer.

"Let it not be said that those with scales shouldn't be allowed to play poker," Tracie offered, her own expression showing amusement.

With that, they headed out of the cemetery.

"I guess they must do that pretty regularly," Xander mused. "I mean, if there keep being reports of noises and trash."

"No worse than what the high school and college students get up to, and they probably don't have to worry about the vampires eating them," Willow shrugged.

They had left the cemetery before a shape loomed in the darkness. Xander squeaked, fumbling for his stake before the shape moved closer, proving to be a rather messy Vic. He was half covered with blood that may or may not have been his own, his teeth bared in a frightful smile, and bits of something caught under his claws. "Problem at the Point solved, what's in the cemetery?"

"Demons playing poker. We figured that a poker game for chips and beer is harmless enough," Willow answered. After a moment, she asked, "Are you okay? You look… umm… it looks like whatever was there objected."

One clawed hand waved, as if dismissing the idea of problems. "Fine. Demons playing poker? I suppose that's not a reason to go kill them."

"You don't have to sound disappointed," Willow sighed.

"Ehhhh."

"He likes to kill things," Xander muttered.

"So? It's fun and I'm good at it," Vic growled.

Xander and Tracie stepped closer together, and edged a bit nearer to Alazcia, staring at Vic. "Umm. Why don't we just go home now?"

"Would it do any good at all to say that you shouldn't go around scaring people just because you can?" Willow asked as her friend, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend's defense instructor retreated.

For a moment, Vic seemed to be pondering that before he shook his head, "Naah."

Willow just sighed. "I think it's time for me to get home too. I still need to do a little research on that new girl. She's hiding something, and I don't know what. For all I know, she could have some evil plan."

Vic shrugged, and fell into step behind her.

"Demons playing poker…" Willow let herself laugh about that on the way home.

End part 22.

"You're sure I can't go kill them?" Vic asked, gesturing back towards the cemetery.

"While I'm quite certain that you're capable of it, there's no need to kill anyone for playing card games. How about if we set the guideline of not killing them unless they're attacking people or trying to dig up and eat dead bodies at the cemeteries?" Willow's nose wrinkled as she remembered the descriptions of ghouls.

"Why?" Vic asked.

"If I'm going to say that mutants aren't bad just because they aren't human, then if I say that demons must be bad for not being the same as humans, that'd make me a hypocrite. I don't want to be a hypocrite, so just not being human isn't enough to say that they should be killed. But if they're trying to eat someone who can ask for mercy, then that's not okay. And digging up dead bodies is creepy and disrespectful, so that's not okay either. The whole idea is to make the place safer, even if you're green or can move things by thinking about it, or have claws. Especially for children who can't be expected to save themselves," Willow babbled as she tried to explain.

"So, I can get them if they're hurting someone else? Especially a kid?" Vic looked thoughtful.

Willow nodded.

"Good."

Something about Vic's smile made Willow think back over her words. That smile looked awfully gleeful, and predatory. No killing just for not being human. Not for looking different or someone else thinking they were scary. What had he heard in her words that she had missed?

Ah, she'd figure it out sooner or later. Home beckoned, with the chance to settle in with some hot cocoa and her computer, do a little hacking, look up a few things… Maybe she could sort out a good time for Chris and Lili to visit.

Morning came far too soon, though that could have been connected to the simple fact that Willow had stayed up too late on her computer. She'd learned a few things about Esme Stepford, or at least about an Esme Stepford, of fifteen years of age and born in Boston. If this was the same Esme, and the things that Esme had mentioned about herself did match. The Esme that she'd found had been one of a set of quintuplets, born with considerable complications to Maria Stepford, the second wife of Edmund Stepford. Both parents came from families best described as 'old money.' To make things stranger, the Stepford quintuplets were apparently identical. Willow had tried at various times to imagine having a brother or sister, and failed. The idea of having four sisters – four identical sisters – was mind-boggling. But nothing that she'd found gave any explanation why that Esme Stepford would be in Sunnydale California, especially not alone, without parents or sisters.

Someone else would have taken that fact to mean that the Esme at Sunnydale High couldn't be the Esme Stepford she'd found on the computer. Just a freaky coincidence.

Willow wasn't that person any more. Instead, she wondered if it was desperation or some sort of plot. If Esme had deliberately come to Sunnydale, and if so, what had she expected from the little town. She'd had several ideas of what the explanation could have been, ranging from running away from home to some sort of conniving plot to gain influence if not control over someone of particular interest, possibly Buffy the Slayer.

Without more information, all she could do was watch carefully and wait. Which also applied to whatever she'd said that had left Vic looking so incredibly pleased. That sort of gleeful smile generally meant that he'd found something he was allowed to rip to bloody or slimy shreds…

"There's a lot of waiting in this town," Willow sighed.

End part 23.

School was the normal, predictable mess of homework, gossip, social maneuverings, and tests. There was a pop quiz in Geometry, and the announcement of a big paper for Chemistry, worth a hundred points. They were reminded of their next few weeks of _Wuthering Heights_ assignments. Devon and Harmony had a big fight between third and fourth period, and while there had been some speculation about them dating rather than just having had a couple dates, that was definitely not happening anymore. Miranda Fueza, one of the seniors and a star of the girls' basketball team, was mad at her boyfriend who might have been out on a date with a redhead from the next town over. There had been a substitute teacher for junior English, and one for the French classes. Maxwell had been busted for drunk driving. Somebody had seen Izzy McTavish in the drug store, buying a pregnancy test. And one of the swim team guys had got into a big fight with someone in his shop class, which had somehow led to the other guy getting decked and needing to report to the nurse's office. All pretty normal high school drama.

Willow had found herself watching Esme Stepford during class, wondering just what had brought her to Sunnydale. If she had run away from something, if being sent to a small town in California was some sort of punishment. Who she was staying with and if the girl was being careful after dark. If this Esme was one of the quintuplets, had she stayed in contact with her sisters?

By the end of the day, Willow didn't have many answers about Esme. The girl either wasn't afraid, or could hide it very well. Esme didn't want to go out with Marcus on the track team, or Jerry who'd been boasting about having one of the highest grades in the junior year as well as a sweet red sports car. But was the girl hiding things, or just someone who didn't want to talk about herself?

Slipping into the library during last period, Willow smirked at the sight of Giles glaring at the computer. "If it's giving you problems, there is a computer teacher here. Maybe Miss Calendar can help you with whatever is frustrating you."

"That might be necessary, though I do worry that she might find something questionable on that machine," Giles sighed.

"Questionable? Just what have you been doing with the poor computer?" Willow could feel her eyebrows rising and her cheeks turning pink.

For a moment, Giles just gave her a blank look before he sputtered, "Willow! I- I simply meant that there have been numerous checks to the coroner's office, and those police reports. Those websites with the information on demons and the prophecies. Such sites are rather out of the ordinary bounds for a simple school librarian, and some would raise more than a few awkward questions."

"Oh, right," Willow nodded, more than a bit relieved that he was only worried about the demony things, and that he hadn't been, well, cruising porn sites.

"On a less embarrassing note, how did the various quests go last night?" Giles moved back to the wooden table, picking up a cup of tea.

"Vic said the thing near the Point is dead. It looked like things got messy, so we didn't ask for details. And those noises at the cemetery," Willow snickered at the memory, "Well, it turns out that there's some sort of regular demon poker game going on. It seems to be for poker chips, CD's and beer. Considering, we decided to just let them be."

"Demon poker games? How droll," Giles sighed.

"So, to change the subject, how goes it with the shiny box and the old book that was inside it?" Willow asked.

"I've sent some pictures of the box and of the cover of the book to a friend of a friend, someone who has made extensive studies of South American cultures and demons. He'll be able to give a much better idea of what it is and what it might mean," Giles explained.

Willow nodded, and began helping Giles put away the books that had been returned by the ordinary students. The ones who didn't fight demons or have grand and terrible destinies like Buffy. People that had to write papers for class, or look up scientists or theories or specific battles. She also tried to amuse herself by imagining the various reactions of other students if they stumbled onto the demon compendiums, or one of the books of prophecies. Shock, fear, confusion. The idea that it was a joke. A conspiracy. Or would they take it seriously? Perhaps there were other students who'd learned that things in Sunnydale weren't right, who had learned about the vampires and the demons.

Just what would someone do if they learned about the monsters? If they didn't know that someone was already trying to fight those monsters? Would they want to fight back? To leave Sunnydale, hoping that the monsters were only here, that they weren't in other cities, other states? How would someone even start? And just what would they do to be able to fight against the monsters without dying? All good questions, but Willow didn't have the answers for any of them.

End part 24.

End Family Tree 14: Changing the Odds


End file.
